Rider Tools
Commute Calculator
Have you ever wondered what your commute really costs?
Find out with our quick and easy commute calculator! Just enter a few details about your trip and let our calculator do its thing. You might be surprised by the cost of your ride!
What would it cost you to pick another method?
| Method | Monthly Cost |
| Walking | $0 |
|
Biking |
$25 |
|
Transit ORCA PugetPass allows access to Community Transit, Everett Transit, King County Metro Transit, King County Water Taxi, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit, Seattle Streetcar, and Sound Transit) |
$80 |
|
Vanpool for 6 passengers commuting 25 miles roundtrip in King County |
$81 |
Reasons Why
Want a good reason to take the bus, ride your bike, catch a train, or walk? We have plenty! From saving money to saving the planet, these transportation options can help.
Be Green
- Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Washington State, averaging around 50% for the last several years.
- Seventy percent of cancers caused by airborne pollutants come from diesel exhaust.
- At least 14 million pounds of toxic chemicals flow into Puget Sound every year including motor oil spill, drop, or runoff from paved-over areas.
- In Washington, driving accounts for almost 60% of air pollution.
- Each light rail train can carry 200 people in the space of 3 moving cars.
Save Time
- Work, read, or even nap on bus or train.
- Biking, walking, or taking transit avoids wasted time finding parking, dealing with parking tickets, or being towed.
- Trains and streetcars ar the safest and most reliable forms of transportation during inclement weather.
Be More Active
- One in three Washingtonians doesn’t get enough physical activity. .
- Walking and biking are good exercise and good for your health. They burn calories, build muscle tissue, strengthen the cardiovascular system and help control weight.
- People who take the bus or train are more likely to get their 30 minutes of recommended physical activity each day.
- 3.6 million americans 65 or older stay at home and are less mobile because they lack transportation options.
Be Safe
- In the US, riding a train is 20-30 times safer than driving, and riding the bus is about 60 times safer.
- Walking or biking is about 4 times safer than driving.
- Air pollution from cars has been linked with childhood asthma and stunted lung growth, along with cancer and other health impacts.
Save Money
- Transportation is the second largest household expense, only behind housing.
- Households that live further away from transit spend more than 45% of their budget on housing and transportation costs than households that have transit access.
- The percentage of a family’s income that is spent on transportation is highest for the lowest income earners: 8.2% for high-income and 15.7% for low-income.
- The annual economic impact of car crashes in the US is $277 billlion.
Transportation Resources by County
Select a County
King
Pacific
Whatcom
Skagit
Kitsap
Jefferson
Mason
Grays Harbor
Thurston
Wahkiakum
Cowlitz
Lewis
Clark
Skamania
Okanogan
Chelan
Walla Walla
Spokane
Pend Oreille
Stevens
Ferry
Lincoln
Adams
Franklin
Benton
Grant
Yakima
King (6)
Pacific (1)
Whatcom (1)
Skagit (1)
Snohomish (3)
Pierce (2)
Kitsap (1)
King (2)
Clallam (2)
Jefferson (1)
Mason (1)
Grays Harbor (1)
Thurston (1)
Wahkiakum (1)
Cowlitz (1)
Lewis (1)
Clark (1)
Skamania (1)
Okanogan (1)
Chelan (1)
Kittitas (2)
Asotin (1)
Columbia (1)
Walla Walla (1)
Whitman (2)
Spokane (1)
Pend Oreille (1)
Stevens (1)
Ferry (1)
Lincoln (1)
Adams (1)
Franklin (1)
Benton (1)
Grant (1)
Yakima (1)
Ways to Explore Washington State
You don’t need a car to explore the state! You can get from Seattle to the coast by taking public transportation. Here are some testimonials from people who’ve tried it and resources for you to start your own adventure.
News & Updates
How Transit Service Cuts Impact Health
Legislative session ended last month without a transportation package, and without a local funding option that would have given local transit agencies the ability to ask the public for money. Money that might have mitigated the drastic funding shortfall that Metro is...
Senate Republicans Leave Us High and Dry
For 5 consecutive Legislative Sessions now, Transportation Choices has been advocating in Olympia for long term funding to keep our buses on the streets. And here we are on July 2nd with bad news again. The legislature adjourned without taking action to prevent bus...
Growing Transit Communities
This week, city planners, elected officials, representatives from Pierce Transit and Sound Transit met with residents of the Tacoma Hilltop Neighborhood to talk about what transit means for the future of the neighborhood. Partnering with Tacoma Urban League,...
Inspiration To Keep Fighting
Last month, we unveiled the Transportation Choices Hall of Fame at our 20th anniversary celebration, and we thought it was about time to share it with all of you. We hope you enjoy learning about, remembering, and celebrating the accomplishments of these committed,...
Update On The Low-Income Fare Options Advisory Committee
In October 2012, the King County Council voted to establish the Low-Income Fare Options Advisory Committee, a group of diverse stakeholders that was charged with reviewing Metro’s current low-income fare options, and developing recommendations for a new low-income...
Smarter Growth = More Economic Benefits
Towns across Washington State are looking for ways to balance their budgets and implementing smarter development strategies could help them do that. A new report released today by the national non-profit Smart Growth America reveals how much municipalities can save,...
People Are Driving Less
As the average number of miles driven by Americans heads into its eighth year of decline, a new report from U.S. PIRG Education Fund, finds that the slowdown in driving is likely to continue. Major demographic shifts are likely to depress driving levels for decades,...
#SaveMetro…#Again. #ForRealThisTime
It’s time to Save Metro. Funding for Metro has been a series of stopgap, temporary, or volatile measures for as long as most of us can remember. Metro depends heavily on revenues from sales tax, which plummeted with the recession, and we’ve been struggling...
What To Read On Your Bike Rides This Spring
On this gorgeous spring day, a day when our mountain is "out," I am pleased to announce (a little later than planned) the spring, 2013, Books on the Bus selection: Bruce Barcott's love letter to Tahoma, The Measure of a Mountain. Here's a taste from the first chapter....
48 Hours To Go: Bike Month Begins Wednesday!
If the beautiful spring weather we’ve been having isn’t enough to make you want to ditch your keys and grab your helmet, May is Bike Month! Whether you are a regular bike commuter or it’s your first time on two wheels, there are plenty of activities across the region....
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