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General Discussion => Throw Down the Gauntlet => Topic started by: Boofinator on January 15, 2019, 03:13:04 PM

Title: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on January 15, 2019, 03:13:04 PM
Are you faced each day with an option of taking either a Mustachian or non-Mustachian mode of transportation to work? If so, would you consider holding yourself accountable to some arbitrary goal toward maximizing your Mustachian travel this year? If yes, preselect a minimal target percentage you'd like to travel Mustachianly this year, and update monthly to hold yourself accountable.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on January 15, 2019, 03:13:22 PM
I'll begin. At my previous job, Mustachian travel was relatively easy, and close to 100%. Not so much at my new job, as it takes a considerably longer amount of time in the morning and evening (though still very much worth it). On top of this, some days I need to be home earlier, so 100% is not even an option due to potential evening family activities. I'm going to set my target at 70% Mustachian rides.

Target: 70%
Jan 15: 86% (6/7)
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on January 31, 2019, 09:46:51 AM
Well, my gauntlet collects dust here in an ignored corner of the forum. Maybe this will serve as my personal transportation journal....

Target: 70%
Jan 31: 94% (17/18)
Total:   94% (17/18)

I expect things to start creeping down toward my target as kids' sports begin to ramp up and I need to be home earlier. That being said, I estimate the additional costs of choosing the non-Mustachian option as about $15 per day, equating to roughly $250 saved this month (or $350 pre-tax, which equates to about a day's worth of work).
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: katscratch on February 07, 2019, 09:33:06 PM
This was my goal last year!

This year however, I made it easy on myself and gave my car away, ha. So now my Mustachian transportation choices are more about where in the city I need to travel -- either by transit or by bike. I have about an hour commute each way by bike and 70-90 minutes by transit depending on the time of day. Summertime is much shorter by bike and was actually shorter than by car (10 miles but dedicated bike lanes and trails keep me out of traffic).

I hope you do keep posting here as a log of sorts, I really like your analysis so far!
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Car Jack on February 08, 2019, 07:21:03 AM
Nope.

I don't live in a place where there is any public transportation.  My job requires a car to travel to customers, so that's what I do.  Not everyone can get on a bike and ride from home to their job 100 yards down the street.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on February 08, 2019, 08:12:43 AM
This was my goal last year!

This year however, I made it easy on myself and gave my car away, ha. So now my Mustachian transportation choices are more about where in the city I need to travel -- either by transit or by bike. I have about an hour commute each way by bike and 70-90 minutes by transit depending on the time of day. Summertime is much shorter by bike and was actually shorter than by car (10 miles but dedicated bike lanes and trails keep me out of traffic).

I hope you do keep posting here as a log of sorts, I really like your analysis so far!

Wow, props for giving your car away, and congrats for being a hundred-percenter on this challenge! Curious as to why summertime results in a significantly shorter commute than the rest of the year (daylight hours?).
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on February 08, 2019, 08:16:30 AM
Nope.

I don't live in a place where there is any public transportation.  My job requires a car to travel to customers, so that's what I do.  Not everyone can get on a bike and ride from home to their job 100 yards down the street.

Understood. Not every challenge is appropriate for everyone, and I certainly understand there to be jobs that require having personal transportation available at all times.

To counteract just one assumption though, I know of literally zero people who live within 100 yards of their workplace. Living this close, it wouldn't even be worth it to break out the bike, as it would probably be faster just to walk.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Sugaree on February 08, 2019, 08:19:01 AM
I've been signed up for a vanpool since November.  Work will almost fully subsidize the cost, I just haven't been placed on one yet.  I don't think many people know about it.  Right now, it doesn't make much sense to do it anyway since I'd be unable to work OT and be on the van.  I'd save ~$200 in gas each month, but give up ~$800 in pay.  But as soon as the OT ends, I'll be back to bugging the motor pool guy every couple of days again.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on February 08, 2019, 08:53:54 AM
I've been signed up for a vanpool since November.  Work will almost fully subsidize the cost, I just haven't been placed on one yet.  I don't think many people know about it.  Right now, it doesn't make much sense to do it anyway since I'd be unable to work OT and be on the van.  I'd save ~$200 in gas each month, but give up ~$800 in pay.  But as soon as the OT ends, I'll be back to bugging the motor pool guy every couple of days again.

That's quite a bit of money in gas alone, you must live pretty far from work (or drive a tank). Might it be possible to adjust your OT hours to allow for van riding most of the time? I used to be in a vanpool and work a lot of OT as well, and mostly managed by working my OT on Fridays (I was on a Mon-Thur 4x10 schedule).
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Sugaree on February 08, 2019, 09:04:57 AM
I've been signed up for a vanpool since November.  Work will almost fully subsidize the cost, I just haven't been placed on one yet.  I don't think many people know about it.  Right now, it doesn't make much sense to do it anyway since I'd be unable to work OT and be on the van.  I'd save ~$200 in gas each month, but give up ~$800 in pay.  But as soon as the OT ends, I'll be back to bugging the motor pool guy every couple of days again.

That's quite a bit of money in gas alone, you must live pretty far from work (or drive a tank). Might it be possible to adjust your OT hours to allow for van riding most of the time? I used to be in a vanpool and work a lot of OT as well, and mostly managed by working my OT on Fridays (I was on a Mon-Thur 4x10 schedule).

It's a little of both.  I drive about 60 miles a day, round-trip and drive a Jeep.  The vanpool is my concession for driving a face-punch-worthy vehicle.  I love my Jeep.  We work a similar schedule, having every other Friday off, but TBH, TPTB make it so blasted difficult to work on off Fridays that it's just not worth it (email when we get here, email when we leave, write a detailed report on exactly what we accomplished...they weren't amused when I reported one hour to write the report).  And a lot of what I do can't really be done when my users aren't here.  So, I come in at 0500 to do any maintenance and stay until 1630 when my users   leave.  The best I've found is a vanpool that works a 4-10 schedule that would run 0600-1630 and I'd still have to drive on work Fridays.  Unfortunately, they are full right now. 
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Syonyk on February 08, 2019, 10:24:59 AM
To counteract just one assumption though, I know of literally zero people who live within 100 yards of their workplace. Living this close, it wouldn't even be worth it to break out the bike, as it would probably be faster just to walk.

*waves*

I'm pretty sure I'm within 100 yards, though it might be a hair over - I haven't measured it.  I walk to a shed I turned into an office on our property (because working from the house has all sorts of problems - I'm not able to separate work and home life very well when I do that, and I can't properly focus if other people are around me).

A friend of mine owns a house literally across the street from his office - our church bought an old church building to use for training space and office space, and the house across the street came up for sale around the same time, being exactly what one of the pastors was looking for in a house.

So it happens. :)

I have about an hour commute each way by bike and 70-90 minutes by transit depending on the time of day. Summertime is much shorter by bike and was actually shorter than by car (10 miles but dedicated bike lanes and trails keep me out of traffic).

At some point, you might consider an ebike for time savings - an hour commute by bike, with even a small amount of motor assist, is about 40 minutes - and depending on how you ride, you don't end up quite as sweaty, so it might save you nearly an hour a day in transportation time, for a dime a day in power costs.

======

I obviously don't do much in the way of commute with my office, but I have been trying to be more deliberate about taking the Volt instead of my truck when I'm going places where it's possible - sometimes it involves schedule shifting a bit so my wife isn't out with the car when I want to go somewhere, and some stuff just requires the truck (either for hauling large things or when there's bad weather and both of us need to be somewhere).

I really should get an ebike back together this year, though. :/  I've been lazy about that the past few years.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on February 08, 2019, 11:15:05 AM
To counteract just one assumption though, I know of literally zero people who live within 100 yards of their workplace. Living this close, it wouldn't even be worth it to break out the bike, as it would probably be faster just to walk.

*waves*

I'm pretty sure I'm within 100 yards, though it might be a hair over - I haven't measured it.  I walk to a shed I turned into an office on our property (because working from the house has all sorts of problems - I'm not able to separate work and home life very well when I do that, and I can't properly focus if other people are around me).

A friend of mine owns a house literally across the street from his office - our church bought an old church building to use for training space and office space, and the house across the street came up for sale around the same time, being exactly what one of the pastors was looking for in a house.

So it happens. :)

Touché. I should have exempted all of the folks who work from home (or a shed just outside their house) from that comment. Now, your pastor friend is truly living the Mustachian dream when it comes to work and home spatial optimization.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: katscratch on February 08, 2019, 11:56:03 AM
I also have a friend who works across the street from her home. And yep, she walks, not rides.

Iride an ebike 3/4 of the year and my touring rig in the summer unless I need the bigger cargo capacity of my ebike :)

The biggest difference for my commute in winter is road condition and cold weather. Severe asthma means riding "easy" so I can't ride more than to the train station on my touring bike (to avoid a couple hills that are not good in very cold dry weather).

Studded tires slow me down quite a lot - on the ebike it's the equivalent of one full assist level. Road conditions can as well - for the first couple days after storms, I alter my route so I'm not competing with buses and ill-equipped cars for real estate on narrow, slippery roads. Once the roads are fully plowed I'm only slightly slower than in summer - a bit more cautious due to being bundled up, probably.

I also have the option of really great public transportation for my entire route -- it takes longer than biking but today I read part of a book and did a guided meditation for train commuters while sipping coffee :)

Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Syonyk on February 08, 2019, 11:57:31 AM
Touché. I should have exempted all of the folks who work from home (or a shed just outside their house) from that comment. Now, your pastor friend is truly living the Mustachian dream when it comes to work and home spatial optimization.

Eh... I'm working with him on it.  He does a really bad job of separating life from work right now, and while I understand "pastor" is one of those 24/7 oncall jobs, he needs better separation.

I'm not actually sure whose commute is shorter "door to desk" - I think it might depend on which door I go out... one of these days I'll pace it off.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on February 08, 2019, 01:45:33 PM
I also have the option of really great public transportation for my entire route -- it takes longer than biking but today I read part of a book and did a guided meditation for train commuters while sipping coffee :)

So my commute is a little over a mile each way by bike and then about an hour of public transportation by bus. The major silver lining to public transportation (other than the big cost savings) is having time to actually read again, which I find hard to come by when raising children.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on March 01, 2019, 01:59:40 PM
Update:

Target: 70%
Jan: 94% (17/18)
Feb: 100% (16/16)
Total:   97% (33/34)

February included an exciting day: the snow was deep enough that I could not tell where surfaces began or ended (I live in an area that rarely gets snow so the city doesn't do much when the big events happen) and the roads/sidewalks had a thick layer of ice underneath to boot. Slipped and crashed my bike (stayed on my feet!) and ended up thoroughly enjoying my ride that morning. Saw several cars crash that morning and was thankful I didn't need to drive.

Next month should begin reversion to the mean (target)....
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on April 04, 2019, 04:07:35 PM
March Update:

Target: 70%
Jan: 94% (17/18)
Feb: 100% (16/16)
Mar: 31% (4/13)
Total:   79% (37/47)

March figures reflect two major changes: 1) start of sports season, where I often need to be home at an earlier time than Mustachian transport allows, plus 2) the wife being out of town for a couple of weeks. I should add that at this point, I am still at 100% for using Mustachian transport on days where my schedule allows (0% car clown days due to laziness).
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Tass on April 05, 2019, 09:29:46 PM
My goal for the year is 75% of my work commutes to be by bike. So far I am falling short, primarily because I've been avoiding the rain.

January: 45% (8.5/19)
February: 47% (8/17)
March: 50% (7.5/15)
First week of April: 60% (3/5)
Total: 48% (27/56)

At least the trend is upward, slowly - as the weather gets better.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on April 06, 2019, 05:43:34 PM
My goal for the year is 75% of my work commutes to be by bike. So far I am falling short, primarily because I've been avoiding the rain.

January: 45% (8.5/19)
February: 47% (8/17)
March: 50% (7.5/15)
First week of April: 60% (3/5)
Total: 48% (27/56)

At least the trend is upward, slowly - as the weather gets better.

Yay, the gauntlet has been seized by Tass!! Congrats on the increase in Mustachianism over the past few months. One thing that strikes my curiosity: has it really rained that much this year in Southern California? SoCal happens to be on my radar as having perhaps the most ideal weather on Earth (at least of the steradian(s) of Earth I've visited). (And assuming you don't live in the Imperial Valley or similar....)
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Tass on April 06, 2019, 06:58:06 PM
It really has rained that much; it's been an unusually rainy season. Usually we only get one good week of rain a year. I was also sick in January, so that contributed, but I think I only skipped biking one sunny day in March.

Now, granted, the SoCal definition of rain usually constitutes a drizzle elsewhere. I am from the midwest originally; I know what real rain looks like, and this ain't it. But I never learned to bike in either weather condition.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on April 06, 2019, 07:14:05 PM
I'm still figuring out the rain thing myself, being that I just moved to an area with much wetter and colder winters (though still in the Desert Southwest). A couple of times I've had to ride through freezing rain or snow, but fortunately for no more than a few miles and I've always tried to remind myself that it's still better than driving a car in that weather. If your distances are longer than mine, I could see where the calculus for the decision might change.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Tass on April 07, 2019, 01:38:03 AM
My distances are short (~3.5 miles), I just haven't attained that particular badassity yet.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on April 07, 2019, 11:22:21 AM
I'm rooting for your (as well as everybody else's including my) badassity.

ETA: I haven't yet ridden my bike in to work in anything more than a misting rain (rode in the real rain home, and rode in the snow to work). Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure my badassity would shrink considerably if I faced the potential of getting really wet on the way to work. Knock on wood for desert living.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Tass on April 12, 2019, 08:01:50 PM
Just completed my first ever week of bike commuting 5/5 days! I'm still driving once a week to orchestra rehearsal, but I haven't been in a car since Monday. (Let's, er, discount my plans for this weekend.)

I have to go in on Sunday as well - considering counting that week as a 6/5...
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on April 12, 2019, 08:49:45 PM
120% for the win!!
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Tass on April 30, 2019, 11:02:33 AM
January: 45% (8.5/19)
February: 47% (8/17)
March: 50% (7.5/15)
April: 82% (18/22)
Total: 58% (42/73)

I'm still short of my yearlong goal of 75%, but with Spring's arrival I had a dramatic improvement this month! I did three straight weeks of bike commuting in April - broken yesterday by a forecast of lightning.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on April 30, 2019, 12:31:08 PM
Over 80% for the month of April: NICE JOB, TASS!!!!

Here's my update for April, with the biggest factor in the decline owing to getting roped into managing my son's baseball team (getting roped in in the sense that it feels like the blind leading the blind).

Target: 70%
Jan: 94% (17/18)
Feb: 100% (16/16)
Mar: 31% (4/13)
Apr: 56% (10/18)
Total:  72% (47/65)
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: DadJokes on April 30, 2019, 01:06:15 PM
I'm late to the party, but I did just order an e-bike with the goal of only driving on days with bad weather.

I won't get the bike this month, as it's on back order, so my goal for May is to calculate all miles we drive. I don't think I can reduce the miles my wife drives, though tracking the exact amount is still a goal.

My guess for May's mileage for the two of us combined: 1,400

Starting mileage
Me: 128,178
Wife: 108,373
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on May 01, 2019, 01:58:05 PM
I'm late to the party, but I did just order an e-bike with the goal of only driving on days with bad weather.

I won't get the bike this month, as it's on back order, so my goal for May is to calculate all miles we drive. I don't think I can reduce the miles my wife drives, though tracking the exact amount is still a goal.

My guess for May's mileage for the two of us combined: 1,400

Starting mileage
Me: 128,178
Wife: 108,373

Welcome to the party!

Is there any way to determine a reduction in your mileage from before the e-bike? So if your combined mileage before the e-bike was 2,100, than you'd be reducing your mileage by 33%.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: DadJokes on May 02, 2019, 05:58:33 AM
I'm late to the party, but I did just order an e-bike with the goal of only driving on days with bad weather.

I won't get the bike this month, as it's on back order, so my goal for May is to calculate all miles we drive. I don't think I can reduce the miles my wife drives, though tracking the exact amount is still a goal.

My guess for May's mileage for the two of us combined: 1,400

Starting mileage
Me: 128,178
Wife: 108,373

Welcome to the party!

Is there any way to determine a reduction in your mileage from before the e-bike? So if your combined mileage before the e-bike was 2,100, than you'd be reducing your mileage by 33%.

That's my plan this month, since I don't think I'll get the bike until the end of the month or so. I'm tracking current driving to get a baseline while I wait for the bike.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: facepalm on May 04, 2019, 01:08:40 PM
I might join up.  I live a mile from work and drive almost every day. Ugh. I can walk, and also own a motorcycle and a bicycle. I really have no excuse, especially seeing I need to drop 20 lbs.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on May 07, 2019, 07:19:18 AM
I might join up.  I live a mile from work and drive almost every day. Ugh. I can walk, and also own a motorcycle and a bicycle. I really have no excuse, especially seeing I need to drop 20 lbs.

Hop on in! I live about a mile from my bus stop, and make the trip on my bike in about 5 minutes in the morning and five minutes in the afternoon. It's a great way to ensure that every day I get "some" exercise in.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on May 31, 2019, 11:37:41 AM
Time for the May update:

Target: 70%
Jan: 94% (17/18)
Feb: 100% (16/16)
Mar: 31% (4/13)
Apr: 56% (10/18)
May: 40% (8/20)
Total:  65% (55/85)

Still 100% for the year on having no lazy days (driving in because I'm too lazy to get up a half hour earlier).

In other news that may only interest me, I was encouraged by National Bike To Work Day to bike in 20 miles to work twice this month (while riding the bus home). For the time being, I plan to make this a biweekly event as much as I can in the future.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Tass on June 01, 2019, 11:25:04 AM
January: 45% (8.5/19)
February: 47% (8/17)
March: 50% (7.5/15)
April: 82% (18/22)
May: 62% (13/21)
Total: 59% (55/94)

We had a bit of rain again this month, but especially toward the end, my real challenge was committing time to biking during stress. I have a major presentation coming up this week, and it was easy to feel during the preparation that an hour of my time would be better spent working than biking. On at least one of those days, as I waited to be picked up by car, I wished I had my bike to ride home as stress relief!
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: DadJokes on June 02, 2019, 01:58:58 PM
I'm late to the party, but I did just order an e-bike with the goal of only driving on days with bad weather.

I won't get the bike this month, as it's on back order, so my goal for May is to calculate all miles we drive. I don't think I can reduce the miles my wife drives, though tracking the exact amount is still a goal.

My guess for May's mileage for the two of us combined: 1,400

Starting mileage
Me: 128,178
Wife: 108,373

Mileage for May
Me: 683
Wife: 1,122

Wife's will be lower in June by default, since she doesn't work in the summer, but I look forward to seeing how much I can reduce mine by using the bike for smaller trips and commuting to work.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: McStache on June 03, 2019, 12:43:39 PM
To counteract just one assumption though, I know of literally zero people who live within 100 yards of their workplace. Living this close, it wouldn't even be worth it to break out the bike, as it would probably be faster just to walk.

I don't live within 100 yards, but it's a five minute walk to my office, so (as you note) living this close, it's not worth breaking out the bike.

I don't own a car, so my default is 100% mustachian transportation.  Therefore I won't be joining the challenge, but I do want to cheer you all on - it's a great challenge!
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on June 04, 2019, 06:07:08 PM
I'm late to the party, but I did just order an e-bike with the goal of only driving on days with bad weather.

I won't get the bike this month, as it's on back order, so my goal for May is to calculate all miles we drive. I don't think I can reduce the miles my wife drives, though tracking the exact amount is still a goal.

My guess for May's mileage for the two of us combined: 1,400

Starting mileage
Me: 128,178
Wife: 108,373

Mileage for May
Me: 683
Wife: 1,122

Wife's will be lower in June by default, since she doesn't work in the summer, but I look forward to seeing how much I can reduce mine by using the bike for smaller trips and commuting to work.

I can only imagine you're chomping at the bit for your new bike! I'm in the same boat, as I'm planning to spend big bucks in the near future to upgrade my Nashbar bike and therefore take my 20-mile biweekly bike commute to the next level (saving the Nashbar bike for the shorter bike rides). My hobby has been scouring Craigslist, waiting for the perfect bike to appear (mostly good fit and good price)....
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on June 04, 2019, 06:10:19 PM
January: 45% (8.5/19)
February: 47% (8/17)
March: 50% (7.5/15)
April: 82% (18/22)
May: 62% (13/21)
Total: 59% (55/94)

We had a bit of rain again this month, but especially toward the end, my real challenge was committing time to biking during stress. I have a major presentation coming up this week, and it was easy to feel during the preparation that an hour of my time would be better spent working than biking. On at least one of those days, as I waited to be picked up by car, I wished I had my bike to ride home as stress relief!

I can vouch for the stress relief. The choice for me, if comparing biking against non-Mustachian transportation, is 20 miles of beautiful bike trails and therefore avoiding most city traffic, versus stupid rush hour stop-and-go traffic.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on June 28, 2019, 07:01:20 AM
Midway:

Target: 70%
Jan: 94% (17/18)
Feb: 100% (16/16)
Mar: 31% (4/13)
Apr: 56% (10/18)
May: 40% (8/20)
Jun: 60% (9/15)
Total:  64% (64/100)

Still holding at 100% for no car clown days owing to laziness. Also, keeping up my biweekly 20-mile bike ride into work (and riding the bus home).

We'll see how things change and how I decide to account for those changes in my log here when my wife joins me at the same general location at the beginning of August....
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Tass on June 29, 2019, 09:23:19 AM
January: 45% (8.5/19)
February: 47% (8/17)
March: 50% (7.5/15)
April: 82% (18/22)
May: 62% (13/21)
June: 68% (13.5/20)
Total: 60% (68.5/114)

I missed the first four days of this month as I prepped for a big presentation at work, and then only missed 2.5 more days the rest of the month. So, trending in the right direction - but it's getting harder to move the overall average, and I'm still a long way off from my overall goal of 75%. Assuming the year is half over, I need to bike 90% of remaining days to meet that goal. Yikes! Time flies.

That means I can only drive 2 days a month... and I already know both those days for July.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: erutio on July 07, 2019, 07:20:20 PM
Thanks for the invite Tass!

Here's my log through the end of June:

Jan: 14% (3/21)
Feb: 28% (5/18)
Mar:  20% (4/20)
Apr:  75% (12/16)
May: 50% (11/22)
Jun: 75% (16/20)

Total:  43.5% (51/117)

I had a silly goal of 80% in my head last fall, when I was riding my bike ~90% of the time in.  But it was a slow stretch at work, and I hadn't realized how much harder the weather in winter was going to make it for riding my bike.   So the above totals are for days biked in.  I think if I can make 100 days, that'd be a good goal for me.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: runbikerun on July 08, 2019, 02:51:11 AM
I'm in for the second half of the year.

Rode to work 3 days last week; had to drop the bike in for a new bottom bracket, which cost me two days. Expecting to ride to work 80% of the time until the end of September, at which point I'll be off for a month of paternity leave. Once I get back, all bets are off - I suspect I may not do a very good job of riding to work in the cold of winter after inadequate sleep...
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on July 08, 2019, 02:17:37 PM
I had a silly goal of 80%....

The percentage thing is a silly goal for all of us, as there's no real connection between this percentage and our happiness. It's the conscious effort to optimize our commutes that brings happiness, and hence having a silly goal to remind us of this effort is counterintuitively not so silly in the meta sense.

So optimize on, and be not afraid to modify the silly percentage if circumstances warrant.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: BikeFanatic on July 28, 2019, 05:38:12 PM
I have not driven to work at all this year and my goal is 100 percent mustacian transport. I do take the bus in certain conditions, flat tire, bad weather. My work place has several garages that cost 30 to 39 per day so that keeps me motivated.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Tass on July 28, 2019, 08:58:41 PM
I have not driven to work at all this year and my goal is 100 percent mustacian transport. I do take the bus in certain conditions, flat tire, bad weather. My work place has several garages that cost 30 to 39 per day so that keeps me motivated.

Yikes!
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Tass on August 01, 2019, 10:29:50 AM
January: 45% (8.5/19)
February: 47% (8/17)
March: 50% (7.5/15)
April: 82% (18/22)
May: 62% (13/21)
June: 68% (13.5/20)
July: 80% (12/15)
Total: 62% (80.5/129)

Nudged up the total, but not enough. I wonder if I can hit 100% in August?
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: argentstache on August 02, 2019, 08:03:17 AM
Hi all! I just returned to the US from living in Europe where I biked to a train station and then to the train about 80% of the time. I'm now in the DC area and looking for a job and one of my requirements is that I be able to do some sort of bike or bike/metro commute. I look forward to participating!
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Legsofsteel on August 02, 2019, 08:26:47 AM
From January to July, I was using public transit. My monthly pass was $98. Since the 27th July, I've taken up cycling.

My goal is to spend no more than $15 on public transit a month.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on August 05, 2019, 12:30:38 PM
Just got back from vacation, where I drove a staggering ~55 hours roundtrip* to see family, friends, and my hometown which I hadn't been to in 7+ years. Believe it or not, this was the Mustachian travel solution, as flying the entire family would have been much more expensive and polluting.

Back to my work commute. I've updated for the month of July.

Target: 70%
Jan: 94% (17/18)
Feb: 100% (16/16)
Mar: 31% (4/13)
Apr: 56% (10/18)
May: 40% (8/20)
Jun: 60% (9/15)
Jul: 63% (5/8)
Total:  64% (69/108)

An interesting conundrum now presents itself. My wife just got a new (much better) job that is essentially co-located to mine. Additionally, we decided to change my young daughter's pre-school location to one we feel is much better and happens to be located near our places of employment. Put all of that together, and it looks like I will be driving to work for the foreseeable future, though with the bright side being that there will be three of us in the clown car (rather than one). Not excited about the commute, though I am happy for my wife and daughter.

So for the purposes of this challenge, I could count each commute as 1/3 clown car, but instead I think will be signing off at this point, since my original motivation was to encourage me to make a more Mustachian choice (and now there is little choice, since a) one of us needs a car in order to respond in a timely manner to any issues with kids at home and b) it will be hard for us to both complete the extra hour of commute associated with public transportation).

I still intend to ride the bus any time that my wife stays home, and to continue my 20-mile biweekly bike rides into work. And of course, I will also continue to follow this thread and route on my fellow Mustachians as they keep up the good fight!

*I generally hate the ubiquitousness of tablets and overall screen time, but damn do they serve a good purpose when cooped up in a car with family for an ungodly amount of time.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on August 05, 2019, 12:34:18 PM
From January to July, I was using public transit. My monthly pass was $98. Since the 27th July, I've taken up cycling.

My goal is to spend no more than $15 on public transit a month.

Wow, that seems like a high price for public transport. Where I live, the city subsidizes public transport ($30/month), and I'm fortunate enough that my employer subsidizes the rest. Definitely good incentive to break out the bicycle. How's that biking going, anyway?
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on August 05, 2019, 12:38:46 PM
Hi all! I just returned to the US from living in Europe where I biked to a train station and then to the train about 80% of the time. I'm now in the DC area and looking for a job and one of my requirements is that I be able to do some sort of bike or bike/metro commute. I look forward to participating!

DC is one of the best places in the U.S. for Mustachian commuting, between the well-planned subways, the plethora of bicycle trails, and enough people that bike commute to make it not seem like a fringe activity (not to mention the generally good weather). Best of luck in your job search!
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on August 05, 2019, 12:41:38 PM
I have not driven to work at all this year and my goal is 100 percent mustacian transport. I do take the bus in certain conditions, flat tire, bad weather. My work place has several garages that cost 30 to 39 per day so that keeps me motivated.

I bow before your inspiration to us all! (Though I might also be pretty fanatical given those clown car commuting costs.)
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Legsofsteel on August 08, 2019, 10:33:40 AM
From January to July, I was using public transit. My monthly pass was $98. Since the 27th July, I've taken up cycling.

My goal is to spend no more than $15 on public transit a month.

Wow, that seems like a high price for public transport. Where I live, the city subsidizes public transport ($30/month), and I'm fortunate enough that my employer subsidizes the rest. Definitely good incentive to break out the bicycle. How's that biking going, anyway?

Some issues with my feet, but changed to sandals, and that seems to be helping.

Overall, it is going really well. The commute is not much longer than taking public transit!
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on August 29, 2019, 02:45:29 PM
So last month it looked like I would have to bow out of our little gauntlet here due to wife moving employers nearby, but that lasted about a week, as she decided she wanted to come in later than me. So I'm back in the saddle, and here's my update for August (I'll simply exclude any days I travel with wife):

Target: 70%
Jan: 94% (17/18)
Feb: 100% (16/16)
Mar: 31% (4/13)
Apr: 56% (10/18)
May: 40% (8/20)
Jun: 60% (9/15)
Jul: 63% (5/8)
Aug: 100% (12/12)
Total:  68% (81/120)

Still biking biweekly the 20 miles to work (and riding the bus home). Now that I've gotten the time down from an initial two hours to an hour and a half, I'm getting tempted to up this to a weekly event....
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: erutio on August 30, 2019, 11:27:34 AM
Here's my log through Aug:

Jan: 14% (3/21)
Feb: 28% (5/18)
Mar:  20% (4/20)
Apr:  75% (12/16)
May: 50% (11/22)
Jun: 75% (16/20)
Jul: 31% (5/16)
Aug: 65% (13/20)

Total:  45% (69/153)
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Tass on August 30, 2019, 12:09:06 PM
I came to work on Saturday twice this month, and I gave myself extra credit for biking those days. Therefore:

January45%8.5/19
February   47%8/17
March50%7.5/15
April82%18/22
May62%13/21
June68%13.5/20
July80%12/15
August109%   24/22
Total69%104.5/151

Getting closer to that 75% goal for the year! If I remember correctly, it's been 48 days since the last time I commuted by car. And I reached my 100th day of biking this year earlier this week without even realizing it.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on September 27, 2019, 09:09:47 AM
Monthly update: September starts baseball season, and the buses don't run early enough for me to get to the games (I help coach), so therein lies my excuse for this month's less-than-stellar numbers.

Target: 70%
Jan: 94% (17/18)
Feb: 100% (16/16)
Mar: 31% (4/13)
Apr: 56% (10/18)
May: 40% (8/20)
Jun: 60% (9/15)
Jul: 63% (5/8)
Aug: 100% (12/12)
Sep: 59% (10/17)
Total:  66% (91/137)

On the plus side, biking (20 miles each way) is going pretty well, with bike rides to work once or twice per week. Today will be my first time doing the roundtrip (I've been riding with the wife or taking the bus home). My butt has finally acclimated so time to push it up a notch.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: erutio on October 01, 2019, 10:55:11 AM
Here's my Sept update.  Started off the month well with 8 out of the first 8, then 12 out of 14, then the rain the past 2 weeks has really made me lazy:

Jan: 14% (3/21)
Feb: 28% (5/18)
Mar:  20% (4/20)
Apr:  75% (12/16)
May: 50% (11/22)
Jun: 75% (16/20)
Jul: 31% (5/16)
Aug: 65% (13/20)
Sept: 70% (14/20)

Total:  48% (83/173)
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Tass on October 02, 2019, 08:55:55 PM
January45%8.5/19
February   47%8/17
March50%7.5/15
April82%18/22
May62%13/21
June68%13.5/20
July80%12/15
August109%   24/22
September   100%21/21
Total73%125.5/172

My perfect score for September obscures two driving days made up for with two extra credit (biked to work on the weekend) days. Now that school has started back up, I'm driving to tutor at a program for refugee kids once a week, but I think I will start biking home to pick up the car first.

I'm getting TANTALIZINGLY close to my 75% goal.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on October 03, 2019, 07:27:32 AM
Erutio and Tass: Great numbers for September!

Erutio: I feel your pain from the rain. I was planning on doing a roundtrip bike ride on Friday, but now it's supposed to pour all morning, and I'm starting to chicken out....
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on October 31, 2019, 07:00:54 AM
Monthly update: Looking strong, and slowly approaching my goal of 70% for the year.

On the biking front: Mornings are getting too cold for me to bike enjoyably, but fortunately I can throw my bike on the bus in the morning and still ride home in the afternoon. Since my first tentative 20-mile bike ride to work for National Bike-to-Work Day in May, I've increased my frequency to about 80 miles a week of biking to/from work.

Target: 70%
Jan: 94% (17/18)
Feb: 100% (16/16)
Mar: 31% (4/13)
Apr: 56% (10/18)
May: 40% (8/20)
Jun: 60% (9/15)
Jul: 63% (5/8)
Aug: 100% (12/12)
Sep: 59% (10/17)
Oct: 79% (15/19)
Total:  68% (106/156)
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Tass on October 31, 2019, 11:19:58 AM
January45%8.5/19
February   47%8/17
March50%7.5/15
April82%18/22
May62%13/21
June68%13.5/20
July80%12/15
August109%   24/22
September   100%21/21
October   87%20/23
Total75%145.5/195

I've hit the goal!! Now I've just got to keep it up. I'm very pleased with how far I've come this year.

I had a few weeks of driving to tutor kids, but now I've finally got a carpool situation worked out and I'm back to biking on Thursdays. This week it got chilly enough to require a second layer here in SoCal. It's nice!
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: erutio on November 04, 2019, 08:45:29 AM

Here's my Oct update. 

Jan: 14% (3/21)
Feb: 28% (5/18)
Mar:  20% (4/20)
Apr:  75% (12/16)
May: 50% (11/22)
Jun: 75% (16/20)
Jul: 31% (5/16)
Aug: 65% (13/20)
Sept: 70% (14/20)
Oct: 59% (13/22)

Total:  49% (96/195)
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Tass on November 22, 2019, 06:36:54 PM
January45%8.5/19
February   47%8/17
March50%7.5/15
April82%18/22
May62%13/21
June68%13.5/20
July80%12/15
August109%   24/22
September   100%21/21
October   87%20/23
November   81%13/16
Total75%158.5/211

I'm taking all next week off, so here's my November update! It's hard to move the total at this point, but I'm continuing to keep an above-goal rate.

As another note, I have no idea how I ended up with a half day in the total. That implies that I've left my bike at work, but I just parked it in the garage...
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on November 25, 2019, 08:03:13 AM
Good job Tass. You've certainly earned and will burn all of the turkey and stuffing you can manage. Have a happy Thanksgiving!
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on December 02, 2019, 07:04:19 AM
Monthly update: I've reached my goal of 70% for the year... but unfortunately a month early, since I'll be driving most of this week (my wife has work out of town and I need to take my little one to day care). C'est la vie....

Target: 70%
Jan: 94% (17/18)
Feb: 100% (16/16)
Mar: 31% (4/13)
Apr: 56% (10/18)
May: 40% (8/20)
Jun: 60% (9/15)
Jul: 63% (5/8)
Aug: 100% (12/12)
Sep: 59% (10/17)
Oct: 79% (15/19)
Nov: 93% (14/15)
Total:  70% (120/171)
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Tass on December 18, 2019, 10:53:25 AM
I've gone to work for the last time this year! Grand totals...

January45%8.5/19
February   47%8/17
March50%7.5/15
April82%18/22
May62%13/21
June68%13.5/20
July80%12/15
August109%   24/22
September   100%21/21
October   87%20/23
November   81%13/16
December   64%7/11
Total75%165.5/222

I made it, just barely! This is certainly the best and most effective new year's resolution I've ever made. And my partner is interested in joining next year! Maybe I can get into the 80%s...
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Boofinator on December 18, 2019, 12:04:09 PM
Big congrats, Tass!

Tomorrow's my last day of work, but it's safe to make the update now:

Target: 70%
Jan: 94% (17/18)
Feb: 100% (16/16)
Mar: 31% (4/13)
Apr: 56% (10/18)
May: 40% (8/20)
Jun: 60% (9/15)
Jul: 63% (5/8)
Aug: 100% (12/12)
Sep: 59% (10/17)
Oct: 79% (15/19)
Nov: 93% (14/15)
Dec: 68% (9.5/14)
Total:  70% (129.5/185)

Didn't think I was going to make it, but just squeezed in under my goal! (70.00%, to be precise.)

For next year, I'll follow Tass's lead and see if I can bump it up 5% to 75%. With my new "flexible" schedule, I can probably leave earlier on days I need to be home at a specific time, allowing me to ride my bike when previously I would have had to drive in.
Title: Re: Mustachian Transportation 2019
Post by: Tass on December 18, 2019, 03:50:06 PM
High five for just squeaking over the finish line! My final accounting put me at 75.1%.