Single Tax : $100 Daily Commute

 The fact I don't have a car does not mean my $20 a day commute is cheap because its actually very, very expensive.

Its the time it takes. Granted, this past three months there has been a serious amount of rain. Thankful for rain, I am. 

But, I would leave my house at 7am and get to work at 9am. That is two hours later. Just because I am taking public transit? How? 

Then there is the return home. I had to start leaving work at 5:30pm and some nights I didn't get home until 9pm! 

On average I would finally start relaxing at 8pm. A full 13 hours after I left my front door. 

Now, how you only pay $20 for transit becomes $100? 

What you would charge for an hour of your time?

I am saying I would charge $25 for one hour. That means for the four hours of going back and forth to and from work is $100. 

Then you say, Get a car. 

Okay let's work out just the mileage and gas. 

Medium gas tank at 11 gallons. One gallon of gas is $3.76 in some far land like Texas but here in California, specific to SF I am going with $4.50. 

Now the car with the average miles per gallon is 25 miles because let's face it I am going to burn a gallon sitting in traffic and I have a lead foot sometimes. 

So, 11 gallons at $4.50 is going to be $49.50. 

My work is 45 miles away at 25 miles per gallon I am going to burn just 1.8 gallons of gas just to GET TO Work. Fyi, I spent nearly $9 in gas to just get to work and park my car. 

Parking is $2.50 an hour is $22.50 a day figure in at 8:30 am leave by 6pm 

Toll because 880 is closest $7 

Next, another 2 gallons spent getting home because the Bay Bridge is shut down. 

Thus, $17.10 in gas for 3.8 gallons used $29.50 for parking & Toll for a total spent of just $46.60 a day just for the car. 

This isn't including the time, insurance, and stress. Plus, because traffic has been so bad the commute by my co worker on the Peninsula is still 1 hour and 25 minutes. 

if I add my time out of work just traveling let's say 1 hour at the $25 per hour its a total of $50 plus $46.60 for $100. 

This is where remote work is suppose to save my sanity and make me more productive because if I don't leave home I don't spend money filling up my Clipper Card ($100 per week) or my gas tank. 

My $25 an hour is actually productive I am not wasting time. 

Oh, I know you are out there saying but, you'll use the car better. Remember it was just $46 to go to and from work. its $20 on transit and about the same amount of time to commute so, I am "saving" by taking transit. 

But aren't you spending $120 a day to go to work? No, because I make $200 a day (lets say that is take home pay for argument sake). 

I make $1000 a week. I spend $100 on transit but I lose $500 in time so my "profit" is $400 per week. 

The Daily Commute if my job was closer ? Let's do the math...

One job was going to pay me $145 a day. 

My transit commute would be $10 but my time spent would still be one hour to and from so that is $50 

At $725 a week I spend $50 transit but I lose $250 so my "profit" is just $425 because I not spending the extra 1/2 hour transit time. 

You see the problem, right? I am not earning the same amount of money if I don't commute so the $425 profit is actually a loss of $275 earning potential and my "profit" shrinks even faster. 

What if I use the car? mmm job is 10 miles away so 1 gallon of gas is used instead of two per day. That is $9 versus $18. I am already saving money. HA! The insurance cost, maintenance can be added thus changing again. Taking public transit gave me a profit, using a car would make for a very SLIM profit. 

Why is this a "single tax"? Simply, I have no one to "share" that

expense with. No one to pick me up or drive in with. The fact there is no incentive to use public transit aside from saving money on your commute. 

Oh but, there is the tax deduction ...you have to make UNDER a certain amount to utilize that tax deduction and plus the whole receipts thing. Is there a tax deduction for owning a car? Yup, but Conditions must be applied. 

For right now, my $100 commute is just another tax I pay living in OZ.