Bike vs. Bus vs. Car in Portland! How biking is faster, cheaper, healthier and better for the planet

Today we go biking in Portland, Oregon, one of North America's best biking cities. But we also go driving and bus-riding! We're going to run a race of sorts, comparing the daily journeys of three people with identical commutes, but who choose to take three different modes of transportation: biking, driving, and riding the bus.
Biking is many things to many people: biking as transportation, biking as exercise, biking for weight loss. It can be all of these things. But it's when we compare biking vs. driving and biking vs. taking the bus that the differences really become clear.
We'll compare the complete cost of each commute -- not just gas and transit fares, but insurance, maintenance, and depreciation as well. We'll compare the time spent commuting, including discussion of the quality of the commute time. And we'll look at other factors, such as calories expended and externalities imposed on the rest of society -- particularly emissions and delay.
Come along for a ride through the urbanist paradise / anarchist haven of Portland, Oregon and see which mode comes out on top of the competition!
Other CityNerd vides referenced in this video:
- High Speed Rail vs. Air vs. Car Race: Canada Edition -- • High Speed Rail vs. Ai...
- High Speed Rail vs. Air vs. Car Race: Texas Edition -- • High Speed Rail vs. Ai...
- High Speed Rail vs. Air vs. Car Race: California Edition -- • High Speed Rail vs. Ai...
- Transit/Beach Connections -- • World's Top 10 Beach-T...
Resources:
CO2 assumptions: www.ourstreetsmpls.org/does_b...
Portland Bureau of Transportation Neighborhood Greenways 101: www.portlandoregon.gov/transp...
Inrix ParkMe app: www.parkme.com/portland-or-pa...
Gas prices from gasprices.aaa.com/?state=OR
TriMet fares and HOP pass trimet.org/fares/index.htm
Climate fata for Portland: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portlan...
TriMet Frequent Express (Division Transit Project): trimet.org/fx/
Bike commuter check at commuterbenefits.com/ and www.bikeleague.org/
Photo Credits:
Portland White Stag Sign Drone Video by Meysam Soheili from Pexels
Travel Icons car bike and bus from Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay
Honda Civic By MercurySable99 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Bus picture for thumbnail By Steve Morgan, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Music:
CityNerd background: Caipirinha in Hawaii by Carmen María and Edu Espinal (KZbin music library)
Twitter: @nerd4cities
Instagram: @nerd4cities
Contact: [e-mail]

[@Pepetoño_1]

"She did the math and figured..we live in a society" 🤣🤣

[@CityNerd]

Her math is good

[@colleenzwiebel6074]

I would love a video on the social good of transit/not being alone in a car/being forced to interact with “others”.

[@beback_]

@@colleenzwiebel6074 Our avoidance of these little discomforts make us more lonely and in the end depressed.

[@colleenzwiebel6074]

@@beback_ I agree and I would like a video on it.

[@user-ls1rl7oi2p]

@@beback_ Yup. For a roundabout look at this that doesn’t come from an urban planning angle check out Johann Hari’s book Lost Connections and Steve Ilardi’s book The Depression Cure. They both have TED Talks on the subject too.

[@jmchristoph]

I would absolutely love to see your explanation of the exponential increase in traffic delay with each additional car. If you're looking for an excuse to produce it, congrats you have one now.

[@Illkiron]

Me too! Exponential increase in congestion sounds super interesting.

[@calebjiang4056]

@@Illkiron this segment about greenshields model from road guy rob is a good explainer. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWHYq42IiLurjrM

[@CityNerd]

@@calebjiang4056 Haha, that's great. It's legit traffic flow theory like you'd learn in engineering class!

[@CityNerd]

Oh, it's happening.

[@simoneh4732]

I'd never put it together that it's exponential. That was an eye opening moment for me. It's one of those things that as soon as you learn it, it seems obvious. Looking forward to more details!

[@Chris4942Chris]

I love how applicable this video is to the average person. The train races were good too, but the trains themselves are still years away, but switching to biking instead of driving is in reach to a lot more people.

[@CityNerd]

I hope so. But I understand biking isn't a no-brainer in a lot of cities the way it is in Portland.

[@mindstalk]

@@CityNerd I see two different uses for such "mode races". One at the current individual level, which can very a lot, and in the US will tend to leave car as the only safe or even possible option. The other being how things could be or should be, if we can agree that biking and walking should at least be safe and direct, etc.

[@derekmiskiman1847]

I think a longer distance “race” for these categories potentially with e bikes , scooters , and maybe even an electric car would be interesting. I have been nerding out for years and would love to get your take on it . Also important to note having safe infrastructure for biking is essential. The gutter on the side of a 50mph road isn’t great and should be taken into consideration. I have a 15 mile commute with no transit option and 400ft or so of elevation change. Nearly half of the journey would be made in the gutter of a 40+ mph road . Safety is the reason I have not began to bike yet although as traffic increase (and moves slower as a result) I am getting closer and closer to getting an ebike

[@CityNerd]

Yeah, I did not spend as much time talking about safety in this video as I would've liked. Time constraints...I don't want to ask people to clock on a 20+ minute video about bikes.

[@Vahlee-A]

@@CityNerd- I would have watched that video

[@peterbelanger4094]

This really needs a study of those different modes, in several different commute routes. Just studying going in and out of downtown Portland doesn't give an accurate picture. For one, downtown Portland is not good for cars at all, any local knows better than to take a car to go downtown, you are asking for problems. How about across city routes, urban to suburban routes, suburban to suburban routes. Most people go to and from various places around a city, few just go in and out of a downtown. There's a lot of people around Portland that don't even go that deep in to the city, if even within city limits, how about them? We are not very interested in moving any closer in either. cars are MUCH more useful out here. Anyway weather is so much more of a problem for bike riding.

[@dennisyoung4631]

Use an Ebike routinely - 26 miles *this* AM…

[@agntdrake]

Good transit policy is deeply interconnected with zoning and land use policy. You need density to rationalize putting in high quality transit. Conversely you need high quality transit to move people around because you can't fit enough cars on the street when you have density. Bikes are great because they help stretch the reach of transit so it can benefit far more people.

[@Bluecho4]

Plus, bike infrastructure is a lot cheaper to install and maintain (even if you're springing for a separated bike lane, rather than just a painted one on the street), and takes up much less space. So it's easier on the municipality.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

One of the worst parts about biking that wasn't factored in is dealing with all the people who roll down the window and ask you were the nearest freeway entrance is.

[@AlexandarHullRichter]

I've had lots of car drivers try to tell/ask/yell things out of a car window, and I haven't heard that one once. I think car drivers assume that your choice not to use a car means you don't know anything about driving, which is extra frustrating, as many cyclists are more aware of traffic, traffic laws, and how to drive than car drivers tend to be, especially considering that 90% of cyclists also drive.

[@BloodRider1914]

I tend to enjoy that. I got in a short conversation with a motorcyclist once where he started complaining (in a light hearted way) about not being able to use dedicated bike lanes.

[@douglasjgallup]

As a bike commuter in Portland, I think there are a couple of metrics off. Bike repair is definitely costlier than listed here. I go through a set of tires in a year, and that alone can be pricey if you get quality tires. I think one also has to consider risk of injury. Although car accidents do occur, you're simply more likely to have some incident with a bike. Portland's bike infrastructure is far from perfect. From a safety perspective, the bus or light rail is your best option.

[@CityNerd]

Fair enough -- I kinda went off personal experience on maintenance costs, but I probably put a lot less miles on than a lot of people who bike.

[@yourneighborwiththecutedog]

i quit riding my bike after 13 years in portland after getting hit twice in one month :( i use the nikebikes which feels safer, but rarely and never for a long distance. im mostly stuck on the bus for now. even walking is a nightmare, especially in nw.

[@liamot]

It really depends on your bike. If you have a high end bike with high end parts for best performance, you'll need a lot more maintenance and will pay a lot more when parts need replacing. If you have a cheap but robust bike I think the figure is pretty close, especially if you can do minor adjustments yourself. I've a robust hybrid bike I use for commuting. Have had it 15 years. Cost me around €800 new (half that with tax incentives). Over it's life I've replaced brake pads annually, one wheel, pedals, derailleur hanger, handlebar grips, chain twice and 2 sets of tires. With a basic service thrown in, I'd say it's pretty accurately. The car being measured against was a Civic. Fairly cheap but reliable car. Probably fair to go for a cheap reliable bike when comparing.

[@fourthpanda]

From a safety perspective, public transit is pretty crummy if you are a woman. Something I rarely see debated on channels like this run almost exclusively by (white) dudes.

[@bubblebobble9654]

I grew up in Portland and in the last 25 years they have done a lot of things to help make bikes safer on the road but in the end the city wasn't designed for it. However it also was not completely ignorant of walkability. I mean I-84 is built in a deep ravine (probably a dead river) which keeps the NE and SE quadrants of the city easily accessible with plenty of walking bridges at the street elevation. In fact it interferes minimally with pedestrians until the I-205 interchange about 6 miles from the city center. Same could be said for I-405. But the only way to make bikes safe is to have dedicates bike lines separated from the road by more than a line of white paint. That costs money and there aren't enough bikers to justify the expense, although you could argue that a lot of people don't bike because it's unsafe which is stressful.

[@LordCumberdale]

The ebike option you touched on at the end does end up covering a lot of the pitfalls of cycling to work - you can wear a wider array of work clothes without worrying about getting them sweaty, more routes are open to you if you live somewhere hilly, and you can commute longer distances.

[@CityNerd]

I'm gonna touch on ebikes in a video in the not too distant future!

[@fabes89]

It's worth noting that bike commuting becomes infinitely more attractive if the city has good public transit. 1. The commute to and from work isn't the only trip you make, having walkable shops and good public transit to other services is necessary to feel comfortable not owning a car in the US 2. On days with inclimate weather, not having public transit as a backup is a problem. When I bike commuted in San Francisco, BART didn't service my neighborhood and the only viable bus option was a full 30 minutes slower than if I used a ride-hail, so maybe 5 days a month on average - I ended up ride-hailing, which conservatively cost about $250/mo and basically costs the same parking a monthly parking pass at the office in the given example does. This isn't an anti-bike commute comment, just stressing that even bike commuters should want more and better public transit (even ignoring the softer selling point of cities that have transit would have more dedicated infrastructure that is safer for bikes or the fact that better transit would mean fewer cars on the road).

[@dennismcclain5278]

Bikes also make transit much much better. I go very multimodal. Car, bike, train, bike into work and bike train bike car heading home. Allows me to avoid transit parking costs and allows me to get to the jobsite much faster once off the train. Effectively extending the reach of the train. Wish I didn't need the car leg, but for now I do not really have much choice.

[@fabes89]

@@dennismcclain5278 Yeah, had a lot of coworkers who came in on CalTrain with folding bikes - really smart option for when the train doesn't drop you off immediately next to your office.

[@CityNerd]

100%. I cut a piece out where I talk about how transit availability is a great complement and support for bike travel. I personally lean on transit when the weather is crap.

[@Newspeak.]

Been bike and transit only for pretty much the entire time I’ve lived in Portland and I know this route well. It’s not always easy when it’s raining and cold but I think it’s the best way to get around town just don’t skimp on the bike lock.

[@CityNerd]

Spoken like a vet

[@silentqueue2344]

It's hard to quantify the joy of riding a bike, even if it's for commuting.

[@CityNerd]

I didn't even touch on that (because I can't quantify it), but it's big

[@BikeStuffPDX]

@@CityNerd Yes, both of those bike routes are really nice, pretty and got plenty of nicely shading trees and even a rose garden!

[@corypoole3214]

You missed one! The best way to get around Portland is by SKATEBOARD! Cheap, low maintenance, easy storage, and seamless transition to transit. Let me know if you want to go on a skate commute with me!

[@lightdark00]

Or he could get sponsored by one wheel and have someone travel that way.

[@dennismcclain5278]

I am gonna quibble and say folding bike. All of the speed and safety of a bike (vs a much slower and more dangerous skateboard) with all of the seamless transit integration.

[@lightdark00]

@@dennismcclain5278 The issue then is can you get an ebike or folding bike for $500 or less?

[@dennismcclain5278]

@@lightdark00 Mediocre folding bikes can be had around these parts for $500 used. Used Bromptons I have seen for as low as $750, which is probably a more usable option and is the option I use. But the speed differences and safety differences on a bike vs skateboard are substantial.

[@CityNerd]

Longboard? That's badass.

[@gregvassilakos]

You did just fine with the pronunciation - rhymes with "I love tacos."

[@CityNerd]

Well that makes it easy.

[@wenkeli1409]

I used to bike to work in both Austin and New York (working from home now), and by far it is the most consistent and predictable mode of transportation. It's also the fastest, but that's a bit more specific to my route.

[@jamesreitz3293]

Another great video, I loved it! I am an urban geographer/cartographer trained at the U of O. I grew up in outer SE Portland and your comments about access and equity are so true (the further out you live the higher the transportation costs). I lived for many years in central Seattle and never owned a car. I saved tons of money not owning a car in Seattle. I currently live in NE Eugene and commute daily six miles to the mid-town (south of downtown) Eugene daily by bike. I agree the cost of maintaining my bike is closer to $500 a year and not anywhere near $100. Good tires are not cheap, but worth every penny! Safety is major concern for me. Riding a bike through downtown Eugene is almost as scary as riding a bike in downtown Seattle or Portland. I have been hit by cars so many times by people running light etc.. If you are commuting by bike you need good health insurance! I wear a safety vest and tons of bright colors with flashing lights. Being visible helps prevent accidents!

[@CityNerd]

Good points on safety. I heard anecdotally Eugene is not as great for biking as it was like 10-20 years ago. I'm not sure why my maintenance costs were so low - I literally couldn't spent the $240/year my employer was giving me as a bike benefit! But my commute was only 4 mi.

[@trevor_mounts_music]

Bro why? Just got hit by a car again...but biking is so safe and fun. Lmaoooooo

[@MrPriebster]

Man, I miss biking to work in Northern Colorado. Did about 6-8 miles a day for 8 years and it really adds up. Unfortunately I no longer live in a bike-friendly state and my drive is much longer

[@CityNerd]

My deepest sympathies. It seems like kind of a big quality-of-life hit!

[@exchangAscribe]

bike-friendly city* since theres rarely any bike friendly cities in the u.s. and any of the states will vary greatly from city to city,

[@doktarr]

Gimme that exponential traffic growth video!

[@MrGollum27]

Apart from my previous comment, biking long distance (2h per day) is a great way to cut costs on cardio in gyms. I alternate between train and bike, whatever makes more sense for my shift. I work in a restaurant, so my shifts alternate between 2 to 11 pm and 10 am and 9 pm. I try to use my bike often, but it doesn't always work out. But I am happy to have alternatives, so YEAY!

[@photomotor]

I commuted by bike in Portland for 15 years and I worked at River City Bikes for a few of those years. One thing to remember as a bike commuter is you are going to need some good personal injury insurance. It is very dangerous in Portland now to be commuting there are more pedestrian and cyclist deaths than any where in the US. I was hit by a distracted driver using his cellphone in 2012 and i nearly died from the injuries. I recovered and still commuted on my bike for five more years and i am ok but it was a long and difficult road. keep riding your bike I am very proud of you! but take care and have a good insurance plan. minimum liability max of 35k when you are in hospital and its 90k to save your life is not a good situation.

[@tedtalksrock]

Exactly!!! Underrated comment. 👍

[@exchangAscribe]

true yah. but in a *truly* bikable or walkable city, this is a non-issue. part of what determines if a city is walkable/bikable is whether it is safe to do so and the residents *feel* safe doing so. as bikable as portland may be, its still in the U.S., a car dominated country. this increases pedestrian fatalities and accidents. in other parts of the world (like netherlands), where they are not car dominated and have been consistently building pedestrian, bicycle, public transit infrastructure for a long time; it is much safer and consistently safe. its not an exception like it is in the U.S. (from what i know). many kids will bike as commute. the statistics bear this stuff out and show there is less injuries, accidents, and fatalities involving pedestrians in those countries/cities.

[@photomotor]

I think you did not mean to reply to my comment because what you wrote has absolutly nothing to do with what I am talking about. Good luck out there and stay safe

[@hngldr]

I would love an explainer video on why traffic is exponentially worse per car! I've been trying to explain to my coworkers why some new bus lanes actually help THEIR travel time too, and this exponential aspect was something I struggled to explain so that they could understand

[@taylorward3462]

This was a very informative video. I'm a frequent user of Portland's public transportation and wish I could afford the rents closer in where there is more Transit-Oriented Development in general. For low income Portlander's I wanted to point out the Honored Citizen Hop card, which only costs $2.50 per day up to $28 a month, and to me has been game changing. Also, the E-bike share program, Biketown, has an essentially free service for low income people who qualify (students, those on Medicaid, SNAP, etc) that allows them to jump on an e-bike for an hour free of charge as many times as they want. It's usually a 30 minute kind of stressful drive for me to get to my garden plot, but I've recently started replacing it with public transport and ebiking. Yeah, it takes a lot longer, but it's a fun ride, almost free, and allows me to connect with the community in a way that cars don't afford. Again, great video.

[@JornBor]

Honestly I think this your best 'race' video, because this one shows results that most people can relatively easily implement into their daily lives.

[@Jarekthegamingdragon]

Man I grew up in SE Portland. While I'm definitely a city person and love having more activities/food near by, I really miss old division.

[@MrPurpdrank22]

Oh hell yeah! This is the video I've been waiting for!!

[@Josukegaming]

This is an incredible video! I'm someone who lives in Portland, but is too scared to bike especially in SW with little infrastructure (but I'm really trying to work up to it slowly) I'd love to see you do more videos on Portland transport and biking in general!

[@TheLazyGeniuses]

Definitely interested in the additive vs exponential characteristics of traffic!

[@tvd1188]

i liked this comparison more than i thought. Really well done. I'm glad to hear you're pro scooter. I rode a scooter in Boston/Cambridge for 18 years. I moved up to a 125 cc motorcycle (same mpg -100) and its great.

[@CrimeOnWings]

Always looking forward for your videos!

[@CityNerd]

I always look forward to making them! Super fun.

[@DruSerkes]

This video is SO good. Would love to see more of these for different cities (e.g Western Queens/Brooklyn, NY to Midtown/Lower Manhattan)

[@dustinbranham9746]

I’d love to see a video comparing transportation in PNW big brother and little brother Seattle and Portland. Specifically bikes and transit. Thanks for the awesome content!

[@CityNerd]

I will almost certainly do a video like this sometime this year! Might mess around and include Vancouver too...Cascadia represent

[@LoveToday8]

I would love for someone to do this for Chicago.

[@nathanb3301]

I would love to see lots of variations on this video where you change the variables in ways which may favor different options. Examples would be a longer commute of 10-20 miles, a commute to/from places outside the city center, and I especially would love to see case studies across various cities, many of which are less friendly to bikes and transit.

[@CityNerd]

That might be depressing. I'm not in this to make myself feel depressed. Nevertheless... you raise good points.

[@jlpack62]

I'm living for the flashing soapbox alert!

[@senseforsale]

I'd love a top-10 city comparison video of functional city bike systems. I feel like some typical bike scores are inflated by the mere fact that a city uses sharrows or unprotected lanes. Another idea might be a comparison video for safest (per capita) cities for those on bikes and pedestrians. You could even do a best and worst on this one. Love what you're doing! Your videos are wonderful!

[@justinbeynon7980]

One other car cost is the inevitable tow. I had to pay $330 because my car got towed. I switched to e-biking this year and LOVE my commute now. It is actually the best part of my day. I actually look forward to it.

[@sheakennedy1745]

This was a good one!

[@KWMacdonald]

I used to bike to work (took about 15 minutes), then I switched to walking (around 35-40 minutes) for a few reasons. Mostly, it was because when I was biking, I couldn't listen to any audio responsibly, whereas when I walked, I could listen to podcasts and audio books. Also, I burned more calories. Finally, I felt safer walking on sidewalks than biking in traffic. Oh, also, heavy rain here in the Southeast is easier to deal with on foot than on a bike. Today I work from home, but I still walk to the gym every morning, listening to podcasts and audiobooks.

[@mdhazeldine]

Oh, and I would love to see a video on traffic congestion. Also, it would be interesting to see this comparison done for an outer suburb, and also I'd love to see a comparison of commuting in a typical north American city, vs a European one in a format like this.

[@CityNerd]

Oh, Europe vs America -- now that's super interesting. Lots of different variables!

[@Timmymtd]

big fan of your channel. Love when you roast a city or highway I’m familiar with

[@jeremytessier5316]

I commute on my bicycle daily and do pleasure rides on my days off, and my per km cost is 11¢/km for parts as stuff wears out also including new tubes and stuff as I get a flat about once every 6 weeks. This is the most extreme forecast for how much riding a bicycle should cost you once you own it.

[@maheshs4056]

I was thinking we could add another mode of transport here: Uber or Lyft. How would the numbers look like if Caleb chooses to use ride-hailing instead of driving his own car? There would be no parking, insurance, and depreciation costs. But the per ride cost would probably be higher.

[@thomaspree7809]

Lyft costs about $15 each way for this commute, so at the end of the year, the cost would be very comparable.

[@Robert0Pirie]

Oooooooo... would be awesome to see "car v transit v bike" from somewhere OTP to downtown Atlanta, GA.

[@jenna_gia]

I've lived in Portland, DC, Baltimore, and now I'm back in DC. I miss getting around without a car in PDX, it was so easy and enjoyable. I biked, took the bus, and eventually used an electric scooter to get to my job in inner SE from my house up in Peninsula Park. Now that I'm back in DC I recently bought a car because I was sick of dealing with harassment and other unsavory dealings while using public transpo. Thinking I might move back to Portland maybe, this video made me really miss it.

[@Bobalicious]

I biked to downtown Portland for a while. The other bikers were so aggressive that I didn't feel comfortable riding with them. Riding with automobile traffic never gave me that feeling. I eventually gave up and went back to riding the bus.

[@Eli-dl2tw]

the "nice" when you said 69 cents is the reason why I enjoy your content so much

[@mrjoshuagordon]

When I lived in portland I usually took the bus to work from Reed College to near Pioneer. Temperature is not really an issue there but cycling in the rain is dangerous.

[@CityNerd]

Yeah I generally avoid it. Not sure I'd call it "dangerous" but you should probably be an experienced rider.

[@TimothyHalkowski]

Excellent analysis!

[@kidrissa]

I’d love to see a video on how traffic congestion is impacted by each new car. Also, how transit removing individual cars impacts congestion. Maybe w/ a BRT flair, since that would change how the roads are used, and I feel like BRT is a cheaper way to add “faster” transit than standard buses.

[@rafaeldugarte9635]

Another great one!

[@Clever_Motel]

12:07 Yes, absolutely make a video explaining how traffic congestion is not linear

[@guillaumekaas6505]

And that's a sub! Nice video, great discovery! (A link by Not Just Bikes in the comments of his last video brought me here btw.)

[@CityNerd]

NJB is great!

[@stopmotiontacos]

This was my favorite video so far. I would be interested in an explainer video too.

[@5688gamble]

I got a second hand mountain bike (surfaces here can be bad sometimes and I like the option of taking all the little short cuts and trails) for £50 to get me around- I ended up needing to replace the back wheel and front deraileur, but I found a guy who does second hand parts and repairs and was able to get it done for £30 and I am learning more about maintaining it myself- I am not even considering depreciation as I see it as purely a utility item- I will maintain it until the frame is worthless then replace it. A day ticket on our buses is £4.20- £18.70 for a week or £60 for 4 weeks- maintenance on the bike is much less- occasional repair of a puncture and basic servicing- may occasionally need bigger repairs, but they aren't that expensive for me as even if I can't do it myself, I know people who can help and can aquire second hand parts cheap, the other thing is that I actually make journeys that were too far to walk or that I wouldn't want to make regularly on bus due to cost or convenience, so I get out more. Shopping is easier as while the bike isn't fitted to carry as much as I could theoretically carry by hand if I was willing to struggle to a bus stop with 5 bags in either hand, I can get enough for a fair time in my panniers and back pack, I just shop a little more often, but I'd be out anyway, I might not get off the bus home to stop and get shopping so willingly if I worry I will be waiting or missing the last bus. I have been eating a bit more, so food expenditure has increased, but to be fair, I like eating and I don't feel guilty about eating more, frankly it is a nicer way to spend the money than on a bus ticket. When we had a car, we were £120 a month on just insurance and £50 on fuel- needed more maintenance too- if I REALLY need to drive somewhere, I'll rent a car- much less costly for how often I need a car- haven't needed one in 3 years!

[@gdrriley420]

My only complaint is depreciation on the car. 1500$ a year seems steep for a civic. Especially mid life. Given it’s a S curve at this point I’d say its maybe 300-400$ a year. 80-120k mile cars pricing really comes down to how well it’s been maintained and if the interior is destroyed. Sad to see the FX busses aren’t trolly or pantograph with batteries to take advantage of running parts on a light rail line

[@CityNerd]

Ha, yeah, I did specify an 8 year-old Civic, didn't !? So the depreciation for that particular year is probably on the lower side of that $1500 average. Don't get me started on the FX buses.

[@gdrriley420]

@@CityNerd I want to see a video on your thoughts around the FX busses

[@vincewhite5087]

In my city, all transit is about hauling every butt from burbs to downtown. But if you have to go not in that direction, I found Evan going thru route with transit help line, a multi transfer bus ride of nearly 2 hours ( if no missed buses involved) , to go somewhere that takes less then 15 minutes by car ( timed). If you are up to it, you could walk there, about 8 Kim’s, in less time.

[@jolly7728]

Great job!

[@wclifton968gameplaystutorials]

Here in London, GB it is generally always better to commute by public transport than by any other method other than cycling which in some cases can be better than other methods For example If I were to commute between Wimbledon and Kingston-Upon-Thames, the daily bus fair for a single trip is ~£1.50 (so £3/day) @ about 30-60min journey time by bus leaving every ~5 mins (2 lines run every 7-12min), by train it's ~45min journey with trains every 30mins and a ticket cost of ~£2.30, car driving is ~20-45 min journey outside peaks (+10-60min during peak hours for cars/buses) with fuel about £1 something per litre and parking in Wimbledon ~£1.50-£5 per hour in town centre or permit parking on side streets (don't know the cost of this) and parking in Kingston-U-T ~£2.50-£4.50 per hour although some NCP car parks offer cheaper prices for the whole day... And yes, People do commute between these places albeit mainly to either Kingston College, Kingston University or the Uniliver Headquarters or to some other business...

[@Unmannedperson]

Only criticism is that Caleb's car would not be exclusively for commuting, so I'm not sure it is fair to pin the entirety of maintenance, insurance, depreciation, and home parking to his work commute. These costs may also be borne by Brianna and Tammy if they own a car but commute to work using other means. The scales are still tipped way in the favor of biking or transit, but it may be a more fair representation of the incremental cost of commuting. I say this as someone who (pre-pandemic) lived in a dense, walkable environment and would take the train to work and walk to the grocery store, but still had a car for weekend trips or the occasional work assignment. A lot of the other residents were the same - having a car parked in the garage but not using it for commuting. I had to pay insurance, maintenance, parking, etc., but none of it was captured in my commute. As an aside, the obvious solution would be to implement a car share that is competitive with the cost of personal car ownership, but at least at the time that wasn't an option.

[@CityNerd]

Yeah, if Tammy and Brianna own cars (not sure why they would...in that part of Portland you barely need a car for anything), it's a completely different calculus. I guess I could've specified that they don't.

[@Unmannedperson]

@@CityNerd No worries! I still think it was a great video and I'm am beyond excited to see this channel surpass 10k subs. Keep up the good work and looking forward to the exponential-increase-in-traffic-delay-with-each-additional-car video!

[@wernerrietveld]

If you only take the costs for the commute, ie gas and parking in the city, it ads up to 2965, still way more expensive than the other options.

[@alex2143]

If you would add in the fact that these three people might want to make sure they get some physical exercise in, the comparison gets even better for Brianna, because she gets her exercise for free during her commute. It also makes the CO2 difference less, because Tammy and Caleb would still need to go to the gym / run / do pushups / whatever in order to get their exercise, which would make them produce quite some CO2 as well. Not to mention it'd cost them some additional money and time to get that exercise in. Also, it's probably good to mention the synergy that bikes and public transit have here, especially if the trip is a bit too far to do just on bike and/or public transit has a bit of a first/last mile problem. Bikes are much more space efficient, so they leave a lot more space for public transit, and bikes can work great for that first/last mile issue (because a 20 minute walk to the train station essentially becomes a 5 minute bike ride, and if you plan it out a bit that could work on the other side of your public transit commute as well). Long story short, bikes are awesome and cities should accommodate them more and encourage people to cycle, and public transit is equally awesome, especially because the two work together to cover each other's shortcomings so well. Bikes are great as a short-distance option but kinda struggle past ~5 miles, and properly designed public transit works for any distance but tends to have a first/last mile problem. A final note is that, for many people, having a car is somewhat of a necessity or at least a very strong desire, but cars don't just cost money while standing still, they also cost a lot of money while driving. So even if you need a car (which wouldn't be weird), using bikes and/or public transit for your commute might make a lot of sense. For instance, if Caleb biked to work, he'd save himself the parking spot in the parking garage, which would alone buy him 6 bikes a year.

[@jmonk2011]

Bike commuting is great, I've been doing it for years. I've had experience commuting by transit and personal car too. I definitely prefer the bike ride most. From a societal perspective, bike riding is not universally the best. This mode is not accessible for many people. I think it's important that promoters of bike riding acknowledge this accessibility matter, for it does affects people with different bodies and abilities. Transit options have the potential to deliver rapid mobility for more people across a dense urban region. We need to consider this in transportation planning. I love bike riding, but I've heard this critique from many folks who would like to ride a bike and face many obstacles to it. The custom models that may support some riders are very expensive too. Ebikes can expand accessibility by removing the fitness requirement for bike riding.

[@lizcademy4809]

And cyclists can't bike to/from work 100% of the time. Bad weather, sprained ankle, needing to bring home a computer monitor, an 8:45 meeting where you have to wear formal clothing ... I live 2 miles from my downtown office, walking distance. I walk whenever I can. But I'm in Minneapolis, I work East Coast hours - at 6:30 a.m. in -8°F on a dark winter morning ... I'm taking the bus. In July heading home, when both the temperature and humidity are in the 90s, and a thunderstorm is rolling in ... I'm on that bus. Or worse ... health issues can affect anyone, at any time. [I'm going through that now.] "Briana" would probably bike 90% of the time, and take the bus 10%.

[@juancampbell269]

These videos are awesome. I've been showing them to my family pretty regularly. It would be interesting to see how cycling/ transit options compare against cars in more rural areas, or towns of 25,000 or less. I'm interested because these areas dont have resources for multiple kinds of infrastructure so cars are typically prioritized; and most of America lives in towns like these.

[@yourneighborwiththecutedog]

ive always thought of transit as active transportation. you usually have to walk at least a block to get to the stop and there are many times where i run to catch it. also, if youre standing you need to work your stabilizer muscles. its definitely not as passive as driving imo.

[@thomaspree7809]

The driving costs really add up. I work in downtown Seattle, where you see a lot of people taking another mode of transit to work: Uber/Lyft. Checking my Lyft app, this commute only costs about $12-17 each way, which would be about $7500 for the year -- less than driving his own car - which is pretty ridiculous. (I am NOT advocating everyone Uber to work -- there are countless reasons why this is significantly worse for the world than even driving is, but I thought it was an interesting point.)

[@CityNerd]

Uber's rates have been...kinda unstable lately, too. Don't know if I would count on it as a long-term commute option! I see your point, though.

[@michaelessig6376]

Bike plus transit makes the most sense for farther commute distances. Bikes solve the last mile issue and help to expand the reach of transit networks. Many busses have bike racks and secure parking at transit lockers. Best of both world. Bikes can also help get around traffic delays impacting busses or delayed train service by becoming last 2-3 mile solutions.

[@JAKempelly]

Please do an explainer on the exponential impact of cars on traffic

[@CityNerd]

I gotcha

[@jettbridger2358]

Perhaps a good video could be on high speed rail to connect Atlantic Canada’s biggest cities… Or better yet, high speed rail from Halifax to Montreal (with maybe one more stop) as the 13+ hour drive is not the most enjoyable, and I know that it would be used. Not to mention that it could also link up to the high speed rail from Toronto to Montreal that you have already discussed! There currently is a VIA rail from Halifax to Montreal but it is so slow. Halifax (HRM) is the largest city on Canada’s east coast at almost 500,000 out of a million people in the province (which really shows the migration to cities) it’s a really fascinating case I’d think, well it is to me at least 😅

[@michaelhagmeier5374]

Portland has some inherent advantages for bike commuting over many other cities. The weather is mostly mild, with few fans over 90⁰ (on average, only 12 per year), few thunderstorms, and few days with freezing precipitation. Sure, there are many rainy days October - May, but the rain tends to be light and not an impedance to biking. Downtown is downhill from the residential areas in SE, NE, N, and NW Portland, so it's an easy bike commute in the morning with no need for shower facilities in workplaces. Bike commuters can shower at home after their uphill ride after work.

[@brainsfordinner7196]

Great stuff as always. I just took a small pay cut to change to a job I don't have to drive to (now I can walk) and I have noticeably more money in my pocket.

[@MeTheOneth]

As a Portland resident, I laughed out loud at 2:40 when you said "he'd have to find street parking around Division". I work downtown like your three hypothetical people here, but I live in the opposite direction, where access to the city is bottlenecked by the US Route 26 freeway. Biking or walking are literally not possible, you must drive or take transit, so I'm maxing out my Hop card every month.

[@connorhalleck2895]

idk whats wrong with me but i rewatched this video and loved it even more the second time

[@aragon58]

yes i would definitely want to see a video about that exponential increase in traffic delay

[@CityNerd]

OK the requests are piling up. Love it

[@AlexCab_49]

Brianna sounds like a nice girl to be with. If I lived in Portland I too would bike. But when it gets rainy, snowy or cold then I'd switch to public transit.

[@Saucy-ws6jc]

Rain stops you from riding? Are you sugar?

[@AlexCab_49]

@@Saucy-ws6jc I'm from Southern California...that alone explains everything

[@Saucy-ws6jc]

@@AlexCab_49 Still not made of sugar. Light snow is not that hard either.

[@AlexCab_49]

@@Saucy-ws6jc Look, I'm not used to riding in rainy weather and forget about snow. Maybe if I had grown up in Portland it wouldn't be a problem

[@Saucy-ws6jc]

@@AlexCab_49 Look, you are not made of sugar. A walk or cycle in the rain can actually be very nice depending on the intensity of participation

[@metaphysicsbob]

I bike in Portland, and I love it. I have about an hour commute one way. So 2 hours both ways. And overall I think your analysis is on point. I do think you are missing something: 1.) If you are going to try and bike all year around you need rain gear/cold gear. 2.) The average of Portland does not account for snow or super rain that you might not bike those times. So that should be uber cost those days. And I do not know one person who has not had their bike stolen in Portland. It is a huge problem. So security for the bike should be on there for non-work stuff.

[@CityNerd]

Good points. I do have to say, though -- 22 years biking in Portland, and never had a bike stolen. Use a U-lock, don't lock up anywhere too weird or for too long, and be lucky!

[@metaphysicsbob]

@@CityNerd This does not mean to come as a critique of your larger argument. Even this can be used in support. Portland also has a car theft problem. And that is quite more expensive then a bike theft problem.

[@burnthedamnworlddown]

I love this idea of modal transportation cost comparison. Is it possible to compare two cities modal times/cost? Like Seattle vs. Oklahoma City or Austin vs. Cleveland. Seeing the pricing and time difference would be fascinating.

[@SuperTobyproductions]

Another point about the e-bike (as that was your last point) is that they might be better for the longer commutes, since you said this comparison might be biased to people living closer to downtown.

[@lightdark00]

Flat and downhill longer commutes aren't a problem. Uphill on the way home isn't an issue either. But yes they would really help for commutes against a fast wind.

[@CityNerd]

Absolutely

[@JETZcorp]

For anything other than a really cherrypicked route, I would consider it mandatory. I had a friend who lost his license, living around the 112th/Powell area. He got a regular bike, but he was spending 1hr+ each way. Then he got a little gas engine kit for it (this was before e-bikes were as common) and that helped with the time but it was unreliable (something an e-bike would be much better about). Eventually he decided that an old $700 Kawasaki Ninja and a policy of not stopping for the police would be the best way, and amazingly that ended up working great.

[@harvey66616]

And given that a decent e-bike can be had for between $1000 and $2000, if one assumes a similar 10-year lifetime as for the regular bike, the e-bike still comes in cheaper than the bus. And that's not even considering that the living expenses for a further-out residence are probably lower too. There really should be a better supply of affordable housing close to downtown areas or at least close to transit-accessible areas. But barring that, an e-bike has the potential to really expand ones options while still saving money. It's also important to keep in mind that a pedal-assist e-bike -- the type that is typically the only type legal on _all_ infrastructure where regular bikes are allowed -- still involves exercise. A person who lives 20 minutes away by e-bike is still getting about the same exercise as the person who lives 20 minutes away by regular bike.

[@JETZcorp]

@@harvey66616 The reason affordable housing close to downtown is scarce, is because the land is turbo crazy expensive. Also if it's transit oriented in Portland, it's going to mostly be limited to those who work downtown where the transit goes. That disproportionately skews towards corporate office types who make good money. The lower-income folks changing oil at the Nissan dealership or moving pallets around warehouses, tend to work places where there will never be a MAX line. Every person I know in this city would take at least 2x as long to get to their job on Tri-Met, even if you started the race at a transit center. Works great for workers in the downtown transit mall, but 40% of those businesses have left town in the last 2 years.

[@Frahamen]

I'm kinda impressed with portland. I live in a walkable city in Europe and my commute by bike and bus is pretty much the same.

[@MegaCamjones]

Best city in the US

[@CityNerd]

As I mention in the video, this is pretty particular to certain parts of inner Portland that are relatively flat and have a good, connected street grid. Most of the Portland metropolitan region is not like this! But the parts that are are very much in demand.

[@CityNerd]

@@MegaCamjones OK let's not get carried away

[@JETZcorp]

Portland has genuinely very good bike infrastructure, with almost every road with lanes having bike lanes. However, it's a terrible place and I can't wait to leave. Our local news station ran a segment called "Is Portland Over?" recently, which gives a really accurate view of what it's like here.

[@Frahamen]

@@CityNerd tbh I sent the comments just before you mentioned that. And ironically, the car option would be a lot better in my situation if only because I could park for free and the touristic city centre (where I work) is basically car free except for people who work there. But I don't drive so take that for what it's worth.

[@magiciangob]

You should do Streetcar vs Bike vs Foot from OMSI to Powells. :) I'd also like to see the explanation of exponential delay increase, anything to use when my coworkers complain about how bike lanes slow their drive downtown down.

[@CityNerd]

Oh man, let the "walking is faster than the streetcar" jokes commence

[@JETZcorp]

@@CityNerd Seriously, they made that streetcar so that developers could put it on brochures. Stated goal! The MAX may have its issues but at least it's actually useful.

[@andrewallmon7155]

Could you do a video like this but in a situation where the car clearly has the time advantage? And then you could discuss the implications of that and why biking/public transit might still be a preferred option. Or discuss improvements that could be made to encourage moving away from a car as transportation.

[@CityNerd]

Interesting, let me think on it.

[@craigmcpherson1455]

I can give a summary: CityNerd did use a best case scenario for public transit and cycling. If the workplace was to the east of the home, cycling and public transit would still be viable, however the car gains a lot of time from less traffic and there are no parking fees. Portland has good alternatives for commutes up to several miles. Every other place in North America the car wins no matter the distance because it's faster, public transit sucks, and cycling is a death sentence.

[@lanespyksma8402]

I think a video about what your job has entailed might be interesting! (That is, if you're allowed to disclose! :D ) Another idea, maybe most bike friendly or pedestrian friendly cities in North America? Keep up the great work!

[@CityNerd]

Good thoughts! I'll consider the wisdom (or lack thereof) of talking about my work...

[@EllieODaire]

I miss commuting by scooter, spending a whole $3 per month on gasoline was pretty great. I think over the 3 years I commuted via scooter I spent more on rain-suits and helmets than I did on fuel.

[@harktischris]

oh boy as a local housing activist in the bay area that entire soapbox section around 15:00 was just awesome to hear also +1 for e-bikes! e-bikes are more expensive and might have more externalities (the batteries) but are also faster (typically for me it's a -30% time reduction on google's biking estimates), and at the very least iron out those hills in some areas (especially around where I live). i only used to do very small trips by bike (basically to a BART station), now my e-bike is my primary mode, even with kids, almost completely replacing all my car trips.

[@physh]

How do you park an e-bike in the Bay Area without it being instantly stolen?

[@harktischris]

a decent bike lock. some bike insurance that covers theft if you're really worried. BART stations frequently have secure bike parking as well. we also have a cargo bike, and while that is more of a concern in terms of theft risk despite a bike lock, it's also larger and more cumbersome. at some point you have to acknowledge that motorcycles aren't just being lifted into flatbed trucks all the time and being driven off, so not only is bike theft a crime of opportunity, it's also a crime of laziness.

[@CityNerd]

Yeah I kinda hated for e-bikes to be an afterthought in the video -- maybe I'll make a separate video at a later time. The revolution is here!

[@camigwentoups5686]

This was super informative and so well researched and structured. Thanks!

[@ottoreinstra9323]

6:50 “occasionally you’ll get a flat”. Actually, once you have invested in good puncture-resistant tires, flats have become a thing of the past

[@elijahprobst]

Portlander for the past 12 years here. WFH is going to have really interesting impacts on transportation. I wonder whether a Honda Civic owner would truly pay for parking near 50th & Division. Portland is probably worse than some cities for parking but I've always been able to find street parking near that intersection when ordering Los Gorditos. I think 50th and Division and working downtown is ideal for bike commute, but the reality is if you live near 50th & Division and have a banker's hours job downtown w/in 1 block of Pio Square, you most likely have a Subaru Outback type car for going to the mountain/beach on the weekends even if you do bike to work. So, net positive for city life that someone could bike-commute downtown, but maybe the environmental impact is minimal because the car-miles are made up in the Subaru on weekend trips.

[@saynotop2w]

I had no choice when I started riding my bicycle to work, but after years of doing it, I like it.

[@saynotop2w]

I probably saved $2000 in petroleum(gas) money alone so far.

[@CityNerd]

Human behavior change is a wild, powerful thing.

[@Seba55555100]

Would love to see a live race with all three modes of transportation. Maybe a future video?

[@CityNerd]

Maybe? Gotta be honest, I kind of viscerally hate the idea of a car "racing" against a bike.

[@thebusybastard6166]

This is really interesting. I'll be moving from Eugene to Portland in the fall for work and the plan was to go car light and mainly walk and use public transport. I'm paying $175 a month for parking near my home in Slabtown. Parking downtown for work would've cost me an excess of $150 a month so I already decided against it. Also the gas at $3 something in Multnomah is way gone as it is across the nation. I know it's at about 5.35 here in Lane County so I imagine it's a bit pricier up in PDX.

[@meowtherainbowx4163]

I would LOVE to see that video about how congestion increases non-linearly.

[@GuenevereSchwien]

Seems an interesting choice in location now that the 2FX articulated busses are in Division, I wonder if that would change the outcome. You may have to make an update. 👍

[@beback_]

The content is always great but my favorite part of this channel is the Southern sass. (Though I don't actually know where you're originally from)

[@ronvandereerden4714]

Excellent comparison. I'm a daily cyclist, don't own a car and am well aware of how much money I save and calories I burn. (I like my IPAs.) But I would add some costs to the cycling column. Factor in some costs for extra food unless you're assuming that all of them eat too much anyway - which isn't a bad assumption. But there's also clothing and rain gear. In Portland it would be easy to ride year round but you'd need decent gear. Maybe $50/year for food and gear? Safety is another interesting thing not covered. Many studies confirm that transit is by far the safest mode with driving and cycling being similar (don't ride a motorcycle). But whereas the threat to the person travelling is similar, cars impose a massive threat to others that cyclists do not.

[@CityNerd]

Ugh, I had a couple minutes on safety that I cut because the video was already too long, It's a super important consideration.

[@ClowdyHowdy]

biking in Portland was my favorite thing about living there. Unfortunately, people who don't have a lot of money have no way of escaping the crime, harassment, theft, break-ins, overpriced rent in risky areas. If you're well off you can afford to tolerate it and sometimes avoid it, but having a safe neighborhood in portland is a privilege that I couldn't afford.

[@travcollier]

I'm way late, but would love if you included the scenario of still owning the car, but using another mode for commute.

[@BaiZhijie]

"...we live in a society" such great deadpan.

[@bosengineer]

PLEASE Do a video about the best bike-friendly small to medium-sized cities in the USA!!

[@AssBlasster]

College towns are the best starting point here, like Davis CA

[@TheMrPits]

Got another contest idea for you, short specialty trains in say airports, or casinos, or resorts, vs. walking. It's not quite intracity, but I did a race between rail and walking in the Atlanta Airport. The rail/subway that runs between all the terminals, about 1 mile in length or so, and with about (as I recall) about 8-9 stops. I noticed when I rode it just how long it took for the train to stop, the doors to open, then watch the really slow tourists plod their way onto the train, waddle around with their damn wheely bags, then sit down. Then wait for the doors to shut and the train to move again. I got the idea, could I beat the train by walking over it's entire length. Terminal A to J (if memory of the terminal names serve me right, any experts of Atlanta's airport in 2013 can verify) I set a rule to not walk any faster than my normal pace, which is likely faster than most, but not up to a jog. Think a 'half in shape' hiker. I started the moment the doors shut for the first stop and began to walk parallel to the train. Turns out there is a set of hallways that follow the tracks the entire way with only the most minor of deviations that extend my walking distance by about 35 ft for the entire way. Sure enough, after the first stops, the train was slightly ahead of me, I would arrive at the platform just as it was taking off. Second stop, almost a tie, but by the third, fourth, and fifth stop, I was ahead and gaining distance. While the train would get to a fast running speed or more between stations, the amount of time it would sit at the station didn't make it worth it. I made it to the last stop 125 seconds before it even arrived. This is not the first time I have tried this, the most ridiculous contest was at a casino where I could walk the distance the train would traverse three times over by the time the train made it. I am sure if the community of viewers here share out some, we could find other contests of this micro scale.

[@CityNerd]

Kinda love this. I ALWAYS ride the inter-resort trams when I'm in Vegas (not surprising, I'm sure) and I always wonder after the fact if it actually made any sense. I'm not talking about the dumb monorail that runs behind the hotels on the east side of the Strip and costs way to much -- that's DEFINITELY stupid.

[@tomreingold4024]

An ebike can enable a person to ride where they would not or could not ride on an unmotorized bike. In that light, they get MORE exercise. And ebikes can get some people out of cars and transit, further contributing to public savings. So here are a few more points for ebikes.

[@JAKempelly]

I use the Portland Greenways daily!!! The Clinton street route is really pretty!

[@CityNerd]

It's a pretty happy place. Other then the occasional rage-y suburban driver looking for parking.

[@HollisPresnell]

My bike commute in Portland used to be 7 miles to work and 7 miles back home. It would take me less than 5 minutes to bike from NE Sandy to the top of the hill on 102nd ave. I had calves of steel for real.

[@310McQueen]

Ohhhh, so you're familiar with Portland... I'll be moving to the Orenco Gardens area in Hillsboro soon and would be curious to know what you'd think of it. I used to drive 20 minutes (if the roads aren't buried in snow) both ways to work because remote northern Minnesota From Orenco Gardens it's probably 20 minutes' walk or so to work.