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
Pierce Transit Service Changes
On Monday night, the Pierce Transit Board met and discussed options for service cuts that are necessitated by the failure of Proposition 1 to pass last November. (You can read the full Tacoma News Tribune article here.) The board voted 6-2 to adopt the cuts and made a...
2013 Legislative Agenda
Picking up your children from daycare, delivering goods to the market, getting to school or work, we all deserve the opportunity to get where we need to go safely and affordably. Our transportation system should provide opportunity not expenses, headaches, and...
Transportation Choices in 2012
At Transportation Choices, we have a vision of a transportation system that provides opportunity for everyone to get where they need to go safely, efficiently, and affordably. Every year, we work hard to achieve that vision, and 2012 was no exception. Here are some of...
And The Fall Books Selection Is…
We’re excited to announce the fall Books on the Bus selection, The Hustle, a memoir by Seattle native Doug Merlino. The Hustle is the winner of the 2011 Washington State Book Award, and for good reason. Here’s the book description. The experiment was dreamed up by two...
Transforming The Community
Obesity, heart disease, diabetes and stroke rates in Pierce County are some of the highest rates in all of Washington State. This has recently become a major concern for public officials and residents of Pierce County. Statistics from the Tacoma-Pierce County Heath...
Cutting Costs…At What Cost?
Sound Transit and the City of Bellevue are currently locked in negotiations that will ultimately determine Bellevue’s financial contribution to the East Link light rail project that is projected to serve upwards of 50,000 Bellevue residents daily by 2030. Some of the...
Seattle’s Walk Bike Ride Challenge Is Back
Walk, bike, and ride transit more this summer through Seattle’s Department of Transportation’s Walk Bike Ride Challenge. Get active, connect with your neighbors and local businesses, and get moving and healthy by cutting back on car trip. Enter the Walk Bike Ride...
Make Hotel Angeline Your Summer Ride Read
This is a guest post by Hester Serebrin, who will be occasionally writing for Choice Words. On Thursday, Transportation Choices, in conjunction with King County Metro, King County Library System, Richard Hugo House, and Pacific Northwest Booksellers launched Books on...
Take Your Mind On A Ride With Books On The Bus
Today we are excited to announce Books on the Bus, a collaboration among Transportation Choices and King County Metro, King County Library System, Richard Hugo House, and Pacific Northwest Booksellers. The Books on the Bus concept is simple: It's a book club for...
It’s Not Easy To ‘Dump The Pump’
Today is National Dump the Pump Day, a day when millions of Americans choose to ‘dump the pump’ and take public transit instead of driving. But for thousands of residents in Washington State, devastating cuts to bus service, especially the loss of Sunday and night...
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