Benefiting From The MTA

Studies show that the average American will drive four miles less this year. While this sounds far from being an impressive figure, when put into context it's incredible – this is the first time since the late 1970s that there has ever been a decrease in mileage! With gas prices constantly on the rise and devastating the bank accounts of many Americans, I am ever grateful for my urban environment.

While I realize that MTA prices have gone up, on the relative scale, taking advantage of public transportation saves New Yorkers significant amounts of money. I consider my $81 dollar a month investment of an unlimited metro card my most intelligent purchase, especially when I take into account my conversations with friends and family from home, who complain about spending a minimum of $80 bucks in two weeks' time just to fill their tanks.

Beyond just the advantage of saving money, I'm comforted by the thought that my use of the MTA system isn't totally selfish either – nearly every subway car bears the poster with the variously sized eco-footprints. The more we take advantage of public transportation, the more we benefit both our bank accounts and our environment.