Just saw this thread. It is a little funny (ironic?) to read that the response to:
"Do you even need a truck?"... [a good, strong MMM challenge.]... had the answer of "yes"...
I do. My main hobby is riding 4 wheelers and sxs's and I need a truck to get by stuff to and from the camping site.
..Not because no one in MMM has a fancy expensive hobby, it is funny because the sole justification for having a possibly non-MMM vehicle was a fancy expensive hobby.... on an MMM forum, and for it to then not to have 3 pages of face punches....! LOL we are getting soft.
So -- did I read that right. OP has:
1. old truck, to drive partway to work where he picks up the free express pass. And this exceptionally old truck that he is about to buy is $15k. ($15K for a vehicle is not really "old").
2. That he needs the"old" truck because he loves to spend money on 4 wheeling in the bush with his family, ...
3.....where he joins his very flashy spendy friends who will influence his decisions on what is "old", and cause him to have a mindset shift that triggers more spending. (See "Millionaire Mind"... you want your spend level to be at the top of your chosen group of friends, or you tend to spend a lot more money yourself, even if you are more frugal).
4... meanwhile has a very nice, possibly very expensive truck with a HEMI, that he drives once a week only (to save money), and owns it because you need to "live a little".
Dude -- do you really have an expensive truck for fun / show, that you can't use for your 4 wheel hobby, so you want to buy another $15k truck in order to lavish money on your 4x4 hobby?
------------------------------------
OP -- in all sincerity, good job on leveraging the free transit options with your employer, this is a huge step in the positive / low impact / low cost direction. One that becomes part of your habitual life. Controlling costs associated to where you live, what (and where) you drive, and then food are the big three for our budgets and savings.
MMM Forum -- wake up!