Why don't people carpool and use public transportation?

[OneBadZeta02]

I think that public transportation is going to become more popular as the gas prices continue to rise. I live in Virginia <Hampton Roads area> and there is very limited public transportation here so you have to rely on your vehicle. I used to make a joke that if gas prices continue to rise that I was going to trade my car in for a bike...well the way that gas prices are looking along with the fact that they are predicting gas to hit $4 a gallon by the summer here...I just might look into that!

[Dionysus]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

The only place I've lived with half decent public transport was St. Louis, and the metrolink there was really not useful. The stops were generally in bad neighborhoods and never actually went from those neighborhoods to places where people would work. Downtown is alright, but if you didn't need to go there, you didn't need to take the metro. They're getting a bit better, but not enough.

They recently added an additional route starting from Clayton, I think. I don't find the passengers very threatening during the day. But at night, I've seen more fights there than at the clubs. I will ride the ML at night, only if I'm with someone else, never alone.

[Dionysus]

Originally Posted by KatieKate1244

I take the bus around my hometown to get to work and such, but it's only because at 23 yrs. old I still can't drive. The times are sometimes inconvienent, but my bosses have been willing to work around it. I also have the "luck" of a bus from my rural school into the nearest port of civilization, but I don't know anyone who really uses it due to a lot of robberies/stabbings/etc that happen on that route.

Did your employers know that you take the bus before they hired you? Sometimes, when I interview for jobs, they clearly let me know that they wouldn't want to hire me if I used public transportation.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by Dionysus

Did your employers know that you take the bus before they hired you? Sometimes, when I interview for jobs, they clearly let me know that they wouldn't want to hire me if I used public transportation.

Really? Or are you kidding?

I could imagine this question coming from the manager of a fast food restaurant hiring kids or something as a indication of reliability, maybe, but I haven't ever interviewed as an adult where my method of transportation came up.

Am I missing something in this conversation?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Dionysus

Did your employers know that you take the bus before they hired you? Sometimes, when I interview for jobs, they clearly let me know that they wouldn't want to hire me if I used public transportation.

If an employer even ASKED you that question, they need reported to the EEOC. They can ask if you have reliable transportation, but it's absolutely none of their business what that transportation is - you can ride a camel to work if you want to.

[Dionysus]

Originally Posted by Alphagamuga

Really? Or are you kidding?

I could imagine this question coming from the manager of a fast food restaurant hiring kids or something as a indication of reliability, maybe, but I haven't ever interviewed as an adult where my method of transportation came up.

Am I missing something in this conversation?

Originally Posted by 33girl

If an employer even ASKED you that question, they need reported to the EEOC. They can ask if you have reliable transportation, but it's absolutely none of their business what that transportation is - you can ride a camel to work if you want to.

I am not kidding, this happened all the time when I applied for retail and restaurant jobs in undergrad. It has happened once or twice when I applied for "big kid" jobs.

I've been asked so many off the wall questions during interviews, so that one just kind of slipped below the radar. I had a car, so it didn't bother me that much. I didn't think anything about it until I got older.

Way to keep the rich richer and the poor poorer...and being very blunt about it all. That question is just so wrong in other ways too...

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by Dionysus

They recently added an additional route starting from Clayton, I think. I don't find the passengers very threatening during the day. But at night, I've seen more fights there than at the clubs. I will ride the ML at night, only if I'm with someone else, never alone.

Yeah, the new stops help a lot as far as convenience, and though I've never really had a problem with the passengers, SLU students got robbed either at the station or on their way to and from the station nearest to campus. It made it really far down on my list of transportation.

[KatieKate1244]

Originally Posted by Dionysus

Did your employers know that you take the bus before they hired you? Sometimes, when I interview for jobs, they clearly let me know that they wouldn't want to hire me if I used public transportation.

I've never mention it until AFTER I've been hired. I have depth perception issues with my eyes, and am currently not allowed by the state to drive. If I was denied a job/fired for using the bus, I'd sue in a heartbeat.

[susan314]

Originally Posted by ForeverRoses

Plus I have to pick up my kids from daycare, so I either have to be the driver or the driver has to be willing to stop to get my kids AND have car seats.

I think that this is what prevents a lot of people from carpooling or taking public transportation.

[Kevin]

1) OKC public transportation is horrible -- bus only.
2) I live about 1 mile from work and about 3 from school. Gas could be double what it is now and I'd still be fine with that.

[shinerbock]

MARTA doesn't go anywhere, and its also not very realistic for the young professional crowd.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by Dionysus

I am not kidding, this happened all the time when I applied for retail and restaurant jobs in undergrad. It has happened once or twice when I applied for "big kid" jobs.

I've been asked so many off the wall questions during interviews, so that one just kind of slipped below the radar. I had a car, so it didn't bother me that much. I didn't think anything about it until I got older.

Way to keep the rich richer and the poor poorer...and being very blunt about it all. That question is just so wrong in other ways too...

I've gotten that quite a few times. A few firms in Minneapolis require that you have your own car - WTF for I don't know since they are within walking distance of the light rail and about 1000 bus routes.

[Marie]

Originally Posted by 33girl

If an employer even ASKED you that question, they need reported to the EEOC. They can ask if you have reliable transportation, but it's absolutely none of their business what that transportation is - you can ride a camel to work if you want to.

Are you sure? I work for a Big 4 accounting firm, and having a car is a requirement of the job. I guess it would be alright if you got a ride to work everyday, but outside of NY relying 100% on public transportation wouldn't be acceptable/feasible.

[kddani]

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

I've gotten that quite a few times. A few firms in Minneapolis require that you have your own car - WTF for I don't know since they are within walking distance of the light rail and about 1000 bus routes.

eh, if I didn't have my own car I wouldn't be able to do my job. I wouldn't be able to get to magistrate offices in my own country, and I wouldn't be able to get to the surrounding counties where I do work. I also wouldn't be able to do site visits to investigate problems or visit clients.

I used to take the bus (Pitt and CMU students can use their Pitt ID to ride public transportation for "free"- it comes out of our fees) until my ID expired. I would still take it now, but the nature of my job is such that my schedule is so unpredictable and I often need to leave the office to go somewhere. So unfortunately I have to have a lease, which costs me friggin $250 per month. There is only one cheaper garage with a reasonable distance - that's $220 a month, but has a one year waiting list.

I wish I could take public transportation... it would be soooo much cheaper.

A lot of people just don't have the kind of jobs anymore that you have very strict hours. Public transportation and carpools don't allow for that flexibility

[kddani]

Originally Posted by Marie

Are you sure? I work for a Big 4 accounting firm, and having a car is a requirement of the job. I guess it would be alright if you got a ride to work everyday, but outside of NY relying 100% on public transportation wouldn't be acceptable/feasible.

Yeah, whether or not you have a car is not a recognized form of discrimination, to my knowledge. The EEOC is there to deal with racist/sexist/age related discrimination.