After University

For many people the journey to and from work takes a significant amount of time. You have various options available to you when deciding which mode of best suits your needs. Making an informed decision requires careful consideration of all available options.

If you make the decision carefully you will find a means of transport that is not only cost effective but gets you to wherever you need to go in a way that will not strain you physically or mentally. If however you make the wrong decision you may end up choosing a means of transport that you will eventually grow to hate, worse still you may even lose money. This section sets out to explain the various transport options available to you, as well as how to select the option that best suits your needs.

There are various factors that can affect any decision that you make concerning the mode of transport most suitable to your needs. These factors are addressed as follows:

• 
  This is the factor that will affect your decision most. Depending on the location of your one or more particular modes of transport may seem appealing.

• 
  This factor will also have a great affect on your decision, in view of the fact that you will want to avoid selecting a mode of which you may find difficult to afford in the long term.

• Past experience
  This factor may also affect your decision but perhaps not as much as the location of your job and travel budget. Typically if you have used a mode of transport in the past and found that it was not a pleasant experience, then you may feel inclined to refrain from using it again.

Often it is easier to make a decision if all available options are compared together. Each particular mode of transport will be briefly described.

• Walking
  Generally the idea of fresh air, better health and time to think make the idea of walking to work very attractive. There are in fact no costs associated with walking to work (unless you include wear on your shoes). This option may be less desirable in the winter due to the climate and also when it is raining.

• Car
  For many people driving is an enjoyable activity. You must however remember that there are many expenses associated with keeping your car on the road, which may increase with the more that you do. Expenses include petrol costs, servicing, maintenance and . The concept of is familiar to those that use their cars between 08:00 - 10:00 in the morning and from 16:00 - 17:00 in the evening and this can be a significant reason to try not to use the car.

• Bike
  This has many of the benefits associated with walking but there is a cost associated with maintaining a bike, namely cleaning, oiling and repairing it. You may also have to spend money purchasing a lock or some such device to prevent the bike from being stolen. There are also some routes, namely in city areas where you need to consider the safety aspect of on bike when so many cars, vans, and lorries are also on the road.

• 
  Wherever you live or work it is highly likely that there will be a bus service available. Use of a bus removes the concentration required when using a bike or car and allows you to read, or just relax. The travel can be paid for on each occasion or you can purchase daily, weekly, monthly or annual .

• 
  The tube is a service, which you can pay for in a similar way to the bus. It is very good for getting around London, although it does suffer from over-crowding and delays during . Within the city area, the tube can be significantly faster than by car or bus, as long as there no delays.

• 
  The train is a means of travelling great distances in relatively short periods of time. To travel from the South of England to the North, for example, it is far quicker to use a train than a car. However, the cost can be significant if this type of journey will be frequent. Crowding can be similar to the tube although generally this is not as frequent (will depend upon when and where you are going).

What follows is an explanation of the situations in which you should use each particular mode of transport:

• Walking
  This particular mode of is best suited to situations where your job location is fairly near to where you live. Other modes of transport i.e. , or are just not cost effective if the distance between your job location and house are very short (less than 2 miles). The benefit of maintaining a healthy body is also a plus point.

• Car
  In situations where the distance between your job location and house are significantly larger than five miles or where you would pass the car is a suitable option. Note however, use of a car may be accompanied with the use of the tube or train if there is a station nearby. The car can be very cost-effective if there are some passengers, as the cost can be shared.

• Bike
  Use of a bike is best suited to those situations where the job location is up to five miles away. If you are an experienced cyclist, you may be prepared to travel up to 15 or more miles. Most people would be advised to consider a bus or car in this circumstance. However, use of a bike is the more cost-effective mode of the three.

• 
  The bus is best suited for situations where your job location is too far to walk but does not go via heavy traffic. The cost effectiveness of busses depends greatly on the way in which you choose to pay. For example you may find it cheaper to pay each time that you use the service, or purchase a bus pass for an appropriate period of time. Purchasing a will often provide a greater saving in the long run, however a monthly or yearly bus pass is quite valuable, thus if you do purchase one you should ensure that you do not lose it. You also have the ability to relax while on your journey as opposed to walking, taking a bike or driving a car.

• 
  The tube is best suited for use in situations where the distance between your job location and house are somewhat greater than can be covered by one or more busses. You should note that a car can be used in these situations but it really comes down to whether you will also need to take a bus subsequent to getting of the tube, in which case it may be quicker to travel by car. The cost effectiveness of the tube (like the bus) depends greatly on the way in which you choose to pay. For example you may find it cheaper to pay each time that you use the service, or purchase a for an appropriate period of time. As the tube is mainly located within the heart of the city, the car may not be time or cost effective, and will certainly not be relaxing.

• 
  The train is best suited for use in situations where there is an extremely long distance between your house and job location, a typical example is a journey from London to Manchester. Trains prove to be the most cost effective mode of travel in this situation, as a car is not a viable option for long distances, the costs are too expensive in terms of petrol consumption, and the journey will prove to be not only long but tedious at best.

• Leave early
  You should always attempt to arrive twenty to thirty minutes before you officially start work. By doing this you will find that it is still possible to arrive at a reasonable time if you encounter any problems on your journey.

• Know your timetables
  If you have chosen to travel either by , or you should make sure that you are familiar with the relevant . By doing this you will know exactly when you should be waiting at the train, tube or bus , preferably a good ten minutes before the train, tube or bus is to arrive.

• Listen to broadcasts
  If you use the tube, bus, car or train you should ensure that you check television and radio broadcasts to find out relevant information concerning your route. Users of tube or bus services will already know that tube/bus are not uncommon. And car users are aware that road closures and traffic are always likely. The only way to find this information is through television and radio broadcasts.

• Maintenance
  If you use your car in very long journeys then maintenance of your car is essential. Without good maintenance of your car it is likely that you could encounter problems during your journey, the most common problem being a breakdown at some point during the journey.
  If you cycle to work then you should also be aware of maintenance. Also ensure that you wear the appropriate safety clothing.

• Be aware of alternate modes of transport
  At some point during your career you may encounter a situation where your usual mode of transport is not available. In situations like this you should be aware of an alternate means of transport. Thus, you do not have to worry about how you will travel to work, although there may be some short-term inconvenience.

As has already been mentioned there are associated problems with all modes of bar walking. What follows is a brief explanation of what you should do if you encounter a problem that will inevitably prevent you from making it into work on time.

If you are using (tube or bus) and there is a strike on, you should first let your know it is likely that you will arrive late that day. If you are fortunate enough you may be able to arrange a lift from a colleague, although you will need to be aware or heavier traffic during that day. In the event that you can not arrange a lift it may be possible to plan an alternate route. When planning an alternate route you should be aware of the fact that the route may not be as efficient as the one you would usually take, and so extra time may be required to undertake your journey.

Problems associated with cars are generally spontaneous and very hard to plan for. However, you should always ensure before you set of to work you are prepared for problems such as a tire puncture, lack of petrol, flat battery etc. In the event of any such problem you must keep your company informed as to when you may be arriving.

Problems with trains can prove serious if you live very far away from your job location. The cancellation of certain trains may in the severest case mean that you will not be possible to make it into work that day. In situations like these you must ensure that your company are fully aware of the situation so they can provide you with directions for what you should do next. You may be able to work from home, depending upon your role in the company.

to work is essential and yet can be very challenging for many people. With some planning you can make significant improvements to your journey to ensure that you arrive on time and fresh for your days work every day, barring exceptional circumstance. Selecting an appropriate mode of transport requires careful consideration of your , and previous experience. Once you have selected an appropriate mode of transport you should consider an additional route in the event of any problems with your original choice. In doing this you will hopefully find the journey to and from work to be a less stressful activity overall.

Remember that it is likely that other colleague live in the same area as you, and so it can be beneficial to talk to them about alternative routes to see if you can improve your own journey. Also try to car share if possible, as this not only helps the environment, but your wallet and allows you to take it easy every other day or week.