(from Rad Sallee and Rosanna Ruiz of the Chron)
Laura Regan gave up her queen of the road status months ago for a seat on the bus.
Though the transition was less than elegant, it was simple economics: Parking fees and fuel costs, even for her hybrid sport utility vehicle, were just too high, she said.
Regan is a medical technologist and commutes to the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center from the Cypress Park & Ride lot. Her daily round trip is 76 miles. With gasoline prices at $3.51 a gallon — and seemingly headed for $4 — she figures she saves more than $200 a month on the bus.
"I love it," she said. "It's less stress."
Area residents, who otherwise would never part with their cars, now feel compelled by record fuel costs to look at alternatives, such as carpooling or telecommuting. Many also are turning to mass transit.
Several who were riding Metropolitan Transit Authority Park & Ride buses last week said they were saving wear and tear on their nerves at the same time. The rides are a time to escape with a book, listen to music or catch up on some Zs.
Traffic jams are other peoples' worries.
Last fall, the Chronicle examined two years' worth of monthly boarding data from Metro and monthly gasoline prices in Houston, but found no clear link between them. Both numbers went up and down, seemingly at random. That has changed.
Ridership counts for October through March are up nearly 3 percent compared to the same period 12 months earlier. Metro officials put the actual increase at more than 6 percent when adjusted to reflect more accurate counts made by sensors in the bus and train doors, starting in October.
Of course, incrased bus ridership can only mean one thing right? Reduce bus service and build more rail.
Because one takes away from the other. It's simple economics, opportunity costs and all of that, that are often overlooked in the mass transit discussion.
Buses aren't sexy, but they are working.
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