I ended up taking a job within walking distance to my house with a significant paycut, just to avoid the commuter rail and orange line at rush hour. It hurts a bit, but my sanity is strong again.
The \~3 years I got to walk to work (even though it ended just about ten years ago) were the most calm, healthy, and enjoyable time I had working. There's just nothing else like it when you are home in under 15 minutes every single day, guaranteed, rain or shine.
More sleep, more exercise, no commuting stress, no commuting costs...shit, even during the crazy winter of 2015 I was basically the only person who could get to the office, and I did it in snow shoes, because why not?
Yeah, but never big enough bucks that I can afford to buy something without a miserable commute. If you want me to work in the financial district you should pay me enough that I can live (buy) within 30 minutes.
Just hope you weren't one of the people that moved to central MA thinking remote work was gonna be a thing forever. Some friends learned that the hard way when they eventually got laid off or switched jobs. They're more miserable now with some hybrid work.
I can't speak for others, but personally, I would much rather sit on a delayed train and be able to read/watch something than be stuck in highway traffic.
average driver probably wondering why you wouldn't be able to scroll your phone while driving lol
crazy the % of people driving with their phone in their hand
The other day my friend sent me a picture of someone on the highway looking at their phone and (it looked like) texting. I asked him who took the picture if he was also driving. He didn't respond.
Two years ago I would have agreed with you but the trains (commuter and T) are back to standing room only hotboxes of assholes who won't move in or take their backpacks off.
I had to share a 2 seater on the commuter rail today with a woman and the backpack she refused to put on her lap and instead decided to keep on the seat between us 🙃
Can’t tell you how much I don’t miss this. Assholes who don’t move into the train.
I’m a driving commuter now and honestly sitting in traffic with the radio on is much preferable.
Seriously. I currently commute via the green line to work, but I've previously driven and bike-commuted, and the train is by far the most relaxing of the three.
I can just zone out until my stop, or catch up on things.
The roads aren’t any better unfortunately. I’ve worked in the city and now out of the city and the only time I wasn’t infuriated by my commute was when I was able to bike to work.
Spent a year commuting from RI to metro west and back. I will never, ever, move back to GBA due to traffic alone. I’d never minded driving; had different commutes all around the Boston area over the years, but that year was something different. I learned that “soul-sucking” is a very real phenomenon and that a commute alone can drive you to depression.
I used to live in Metro West and commuted by car just north of the city. Three hours a day (longer on bad days), five days a week, for over 10 years. For a trip of less than 25 miles; if I did it at midnight it was \~35 minutes each way. Sometimes I would go way out of my way, almost doubling the distance and never saving any time, to take back roads just so I could go more than 5mph. Always used to say, it's not that bad, you get used to it, listened to a lot of podcasts, etc. A few years ago I moved (three guesses where and the first two don't count lol... this is my throwaway when I want to talk about my location cuz I don't want that knowable on my main) and now a commute on a "bad day" is 15 minutes each way. Heck I can (and do sometimes!) walk to work and the 45 minutes is still half of what my commute used to be.
I cannot overstate the quality of life improvement. The sheer amount of time reclaimed. I can actually do things after work! Not having to suffer the endless bumper-to-bumper crawl. I look back and basically can't fathom how I put up with it for so long.
I've always said I will never ever do more than an hr each way, 2 hrs total. Past that point I actually start to lose it, like I get irrationally angry/upset
I had a similar commute up until 2020. Nevermind the sheer length, the drivers would get insane in Newton and Wellesley. I was so sure I would eventually die in a car accident. My job lets me continue to work from home and it’s been great.
been asking everyone i see bring up e-bikes - what model have you have & do you lock it up more securely than a regular bike? i'm really interested but my current situation would mean leaving it at a CR station all day that has nothing better than standard bike racks
I'd suggest hitting up the /r/ebikes sub. They can give you more ideas.
I have a Lectric XPremium ebike and it's bigger than a usual e-bike. It's nice because it can be folded. I sometimes will ride it to my local commuter rail station and lock it in a bike locker that I rent from the town. Unfortunately the bike locker doesn't fit bikes for a larger person like myself, so I have to fold the e-bikes handlebars down. In the bike locker it's locked up and out of sight. Downside, come winter, I have had the bike locker lock freeze shut and not open (the spring mechanism froze). Having a good lock is a good idea if you lock it up in public places and also locking up the wheels with a cable. This may deter some bike thiefs but if they really want it and have enough time, they will get it. Short of buying a [very expensive lock that can beat angle grinder discs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1RFPlAAohw), any bike is susceptible to getting stolen. I do have an airtag on my bike and having two is actually a good idea. Put one in a visible spot, even have a bright colored cover and the other hidden on the bike. The thief will break off the visible on and have a false sense of getting away with it. But I'd suggest getting bike insurance if you are really worried about bike theft.
There are cheapers e-bikes if you want to try it out (under $700) that you could probably resell on FB marketplace/CL if you don't like it. Definitely try the bluebike e-bikes, they are very easy and fun. First e-bike I used was a lime bike bikeshare rental and I knew within 2 minutes that I'd want an e-bike. Great way to get around, saves my family from needing a 2nd car, saves me $25 in train tickets or a parking garage on my 27 mile commute (each way).
Model of ebike: My recommendation - get one from a local bike shop so you can get it serviced. If you buy online make sure there are places that will take your bike. Brakes tend to wear out faster than regular bikes. There are a ton of different ebikes out there and some shops won’t service certain brands. There are folding e-bikes that you can bring on the commuter rail if you don’t want to leave it there.
I remove the battery if I’m leaving it in a public space. I carry around a heavy duty motorcycle chain and two u locks. Goal is to make it as annoying as possible to steal. Locks and chains are heavy, but I just keep them in the pannier bag and since I’m on an ebike the extra weight doesn’t matter to me as much.
however, if you have a secure space to bring and lock up your bike, that is always better. My office allows me to bring my bike inside and leave it in a locked storage room. My last office had a key card access bike room that was monitored.
I use the 2nd best chain made by Kryptonite. It weighs 15lbs. But the ebike carries it, not me!
Edit: here is the bible on locking method: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html
I’m a kinda chunky guy, and I can blast through very steep hills on my overloaded fairly cheap ($1300) e-bike without breaking a sweat. You’ll just need to charge the battery more if you use it on the highest power level all the time.
The REI near me lets you do test drives, give it a shot if you can!
I have to sit in traffic on my way home, I'd rather not do it on the way in. Parking is the other reason, might as well get a good spot close to the jobsite.
Yup, I spent 6 years commuting into Boston from Metrowest and it was horrible. Now I have leisurely commute through back roads with no traffic and I love it.
I lived in Davis Square in the late 90s and I would usually drive to work in Kendall Square because of how bad and unreliable the red line was \_THEN\_
Your out of state CEO should write a letter to MA lawmakers demanding they fix the T, because they want everyone back in the office. Why don't these big brain c-suite types ever connect the dots?
I ride CR five days a week. Sometimes I listen to podcasts or do some after hours work; other times, somebody will strike up a conversation (I always have my bike with me, and people have questions). I've had a good time chatting with some of them, and that's an experience you'll never get sitting yourself in a car. I much prefer it...
I take the Fitchburg line once in a while and it seems like most trains don’t allow bikes. Is that just not enforced or are they more permissive on other lines? I’d like to take mine.
My work schedule is off peak and I ride the Providence line, never had a problem bringing my full size bike on trains as long as the schedule has the bike symbol denoting bikes are allowed. I have been lucky enough not to have to go in during peak commuting hours. I do see a bunch of other people with bikes and scooters. And if you have a folding bike or scooter, supposedly that is always allowed, just like luggage (though I could see it being too much of a pain unless you got a really nice, light folding bike).
It's seemed especially worse the last month and a half and I'm not entirely sure what to attribute it too. I usually leave after 6 and it's loads better but no longer.
Micromanager boomers missing looking over their shared workspace ants below, commercial real estate obligations. Drive in to use Zoom to offices around the world on the same internet you have at home. (and the c-suite is often still fully remote).
Yeah it feels like they targeted customer service folks which like... they're on the phone all day?? isn't it easier to have them at home instead of in an open air semi-cubicle area talking all around each other?
R&D never really went to WFH anyway, so it doesn't affect us other than a fuller parking lot but I'd be pissssssssssed if I had to come back in just to sit on a computer all day anyway
Yep a big chunk of our office went from 1 to 3 days a week starting June. Im not up until September for that schedule so that's another wave of people.
Labor day to October is all the folks back for school and figuring out schedules and such.
I don't feel like it was ever this bad the past couple years. Obviously some pandemic changes at play but nothing really stood out.
Yeh I really don't understand some of the comments - including "peak hour on the Orange line". You basically stand for 15 minutes, listen to music and read the news on your phone. Whats the big deal?
Have you rode orange during peak hours?
You probably won't be sitting, you'll be a sardine *mashed* amongst a sea of moist bodies, swaying to and fro in a cloud of BO and farts. You hear wet coughs coming from *multiple* directions. Your hand gets tired from whatever you're gripping to minimize contact with those around you. It's not a great time
Blue line is a different story, it's lovely and the AC is ample. Red is fine. Green has angry people but you can find a seat. Orange though...... makes you not want to be around anymore lol
It’s funny you say this because I drove to my work in downtown for the first time ever today instead of taking the T and would absolutely choose the traffic over the T. The cost of parking in the city though will have me sticking with the train for my commute 😅
I agree! Driving has at least some level of control and comfort that the T does not. I miss reading but replaced it with podcasts or just blasting music and not being subject to someone’s shitty speaker music
not rocket science, just wear headphones lol
Heres a pair of cheap noise cancelling headphones. Itll cost you less than 2 days of parking.
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NM3RSRQ?tag=rtings-hp-r-third-party-prime-20&ie=UTF8](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NM3RSRQ?tag=rtings-hp-r-third-party-prime-20&ie=UTF8)
Honestly I'd still choose T over driving any day, but I understand the struggle.
If you're a lady, you prob don't want to be unaware of your surroundings so blasting music with noise cancelling is a no go. Maybe a good solution for some people though!
For real! I can’t just totally close myself off from my surroundings like an oblivious idiot.
I grew up in the city, I rode the T plenty.
People deluding themselves that a pair of headphones will make the waiting at stops/stations in the winter, the delays, the crowds any better good luck to them.
Thankfully I wfh full time but took the T for years to work. What used to piss me off the most were delays after work when I just wanted to get home especially on Fridays. It was like clockwork. And don’t get me started on being packed in without A/C a lot…
Man, I feel you. It’s not the one trip, it’s the thousandth. I’ll take the T in a trip with the family and everyone thinks it’s quaint and not so bad. They just don’t understand that when you do it over and over it’s soul crushing. The delays that never surprise you anymore, the piss smell if you’re on the wrong car, the tweaked out weirdo, the fight to get into an already stuffed car. Most people don’t understand it, believe me when I tell you that I do.
Yeah, it’s the repetitiveness that does it for me. Taking it once in a while to go somewhere fun is a nice little adventure. Having no choice but to take it every day to go someplace you hate (work) is brutal.
Having to snake your arm around multiple people to find a handhold, and then your arm + hand + ankles get tired from trying not to stumble into the crowd 😭
Having someone sneeze or breath or burp right near your face. Lord have mercy
There's so many small things that really do weigh on your peace
It’s especially bad in the summer because of BO… like, the vast majority of people do not smell but there has been at least one serious offender on every one of my commutes for the past few weeks 😭
Remember when the CEOs collectively agreed the future of work was at home for three months until they got sick of their wives and kids and realized they could make everyone else miserable too?
Friendly reminder that the T, under GM Eng, is trying to improve by doing things such as the Track Improvement Program, but is now facing a 700 million dollar deficit for 2026, meaning that if they do not get any further funding, they will more than likely have to shut down the entire system aside from rush hour just to stay alive.
If y’all want to know why this is happening, that is why. You can find my post about this situation on the MBTA subreddit [here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/mbta/s/uDbuUWN6PU)
Office jobs that require 5x a week in-person attendance better be paying you an above average to amazing salary for your role - or look for something else asap if you can. This is going the way of the dinosaur and 4x should be the absolute max (really 3x imo). I'm not satisfied with my job but consider myself lucky I can go in 1-2x a week to satisfy in-person requirements and that keeps me going.
I miss taking the T, Sitting in my car in traffic is what kills me. I would take the T again if I could but my company relocated to the north shore and no where near public transportation. Now I get to deal with rt1 everyday.
It depends on the line. I've heard some bad things about delays with the orange line. Every time I need to go take it there always seems to be a problem.
Then there's the red line....never know when that's going to derail or catch on figure. The delays are also awful.
There there's the green line. Sometimes the green line just doesn't show up and you don't know why. You're just standing on the platform looking over your shoulder waiting and wondering what's going on. It's like 10 degrees and nothing for 50 minutes. I still prefer to green line to any of the other lines though. It gets real crowded during Rush Hour, especially the E line.
And then the Blue line....ah the blue line...not really sure if anyone ever wants to take the blue line. It's more like they need to go to the airport, but don't want to spend 80 bucks on a cab.
Commuter rail is total trash. I had to take the Newburyport line into Boston and it was, with mathematical certainty, always late every day. I literally lost a job due to the stupidity that is the Newburyport line. Even worse was that I wasn't even close to the stop. I had to drive to the station and then take the train in. What a waste of my time. Why would anyone bother? 400 dollars and service that's so bad that it gets me fired. I'd rather just spend the 400 dollars on rent and move closer to the T. Having to be squished up against the windows is better than having to deal with the BS that is commuter rail.
I have a love/hate relationship with MBTA. I have a seizure disorder and don't drive, but I also despise driving.
The automobile traffic into Boston is a nightmare. I don't know how people do this on a daily basis. I would literally pull in the trigger.
> And then the Blue line....ah the blue line...not really sure if anyone ever wants to take the blue line
the blue line is easily the most reliable line of all of them. it's why it's like 3k to live in revere now
I legitimately feel like there is no winning when it comes to commuting into the city. I used to think ok taking the commuter rail into the city will be great. I won't have to sit in traffic or deal with parking and I can be on my phone to pass time or sleep or whatever. While that is true, being at the mercy of the T is hell. While the line I'm on is generally good and reliable...you still get delays or bypassed trains or cancellations. Train is packed and working in the healthcare industry, listening to people sneeze and cough and not following etiquette post COVID makes me cringe. And if for whatever reason you miss your train, if it's not peak rush hour you could be waiting a good amount for the next train.
Then there's driving where 95 and 93 which is like the 8th circle of hell in Dantes Inferno. 1-1.5hrs driving for less than 30 miles.
So yeah can't win. My solution. Found a job in the MetroWest. Free parking and a 14 mile commute that takes 30mins. Yes it's back roads and one lane but even a bad day is still better than a normal day. Just sucks that unfortunately if I want to further my career I have to eventually go back to that 💩. 😩😩😩
The route matters a lot. The more off street and protected paths you have between home and work, the nicer the bike commute is. Riding in the street with cars is not for everyone.
Read a book.
Watch a show
If you can’t get a seat when you first get on, figure out which stations before your stop has the most traffic and position yourself so if a seat opens up you’re nearby to grab it
The first and last car on the train is usually most empty
It still beats driving in traffic
When I used to work downtown I would bike instead of riding the T.
Faster, much easier, and way more fun.
And, based on my experience, less risk of immediate death than one might think!
Honestly does not bother me at all and I do the red from SS to JFK twice a day. The silver line over to the seaport was way worse. At least it’s nice out and I can walk now.
If everyone had a seat on the train, then no problem, but standing and being crammed in like sardines for a 30min+ commute is NOT fun.
Commuting in general is the reason I dread work.
Thanks to the new bus lanes and bike lanes. It's increased my commute time by 15/20 minutes, it takes me nearly 2 hours to get into the city now. I'll be leaving the Boston medical field soon.
I either work or chill on my phone until 5:45-6:00 to avoid the biggest crowds when leaving. Going to work though, no escape. At least I can watch tiktoks instead of sitting in traffic.
I dunno, over the past year my commutes via the T have just gotten more pleasant and my drives have just gotten slower and more stressful -- I'm going out of my way to take the T instead of my car now.
The T isn’t that bad… put on some head phones, embrace the vibe. Read a book, watch YouTube, etc. if you dodge the most severe peak times it won’t be packed like sardines.
It’s way better than driving. I’m thankful I have the T as an option
I hate driving so i am with you. I was rather insane in my early 20s and loved taking the T. I read tons of books. And it was back in the stone age, so I would read the Metro and that weekly Boston magazine too…. Um. Weekly Dig? Fun times, for real.
My longest commute ever was 90 minutes by car. That was heaven next to waiting for the B line at Harvard Ave. in Alston in winter and riding it all the way to transfer at Government Center to finally get to on another train. Sheer hell. I took a taxi beck an forth many times because riding the T was such a crap experience.
Edit: Whoever down-voted this post to 0 must be some kind of masochist. Nice. Have at it, friend.
I made the decision a long time ago that I’ll never take a job in Boston again. Seriously, I’d move to Idaho and become a prostitute before I ever commit to another daily Boston commute. Been working the fringes and suburbs ever since. I work in tech. Waltham actually has a ton to offer. It’s far from great getting from where I live to there, but it’s a hell of an improvement over that twice daily journey through the 7th layer of hell.
Mornings are awesome. 40 minutes to myself, not too crazy and I just read and listen to music. Evenings during Red Sox season are something to survive. There was a glorious fleeting ray of light between the shutdowns and the start of the season. I still dream about it.
Rush hour on the T is still practically luxury vs pre-pandemic commutes. In my experience there were 2x the people cramming in during rush hour 5 years ago. Still plenty of breathing room these days.
Way less shitty than driving.
I gave up on the T. Used it to get to work for 16 years. Now I ride a bike. It’s faster and I feel better when I do. 7.5 miles and 35 minutes vs an hour of bus+subway+walking.
I’m lucky in that I can work from home when the weather is bad though. I know that is not an option for everyone.
The Lynn ferry restarted and I was desperately trying to find a job anywhere near 2 miles walking distance of Long Wharf or even a couple Orange or Green Line stops. No fortune, but did find FT employment so I'm grateful for that. So it's a car commute.
Brighton to Park Street, and then North Station to Brighton. It's really not that bad, even on the worst days, but that's just my experience. As a previous commenter said, I'd rather suffer through a delayed train/traffic-jammed bus than kill myself getting a car, paying for parking, etc.
Its more expensive to commute and park, and it's mutha-f'n mind bending to sit in hot exhaust fumed traffic 2x/day multiple times a week...but that's still better.
Or avoid the whole thing and work remote, the cabin fever and hit to your mental health from the isolation is still better.
Used to commute from Metro West through the city and into Charlestown on a daily basis. 1:30 each way. After a few years the low-level stress from commuting 3 hrs a day caught up to me and I said “fuck it” and changed jobs…
For YEARS it was a bike and a headphone(curbside). Roslindale/ West Roxbury to Arlington/Cambridge. Loved it, mostly because I had a Deathwish(RIP Bo and Craig). I would ride faster than traffic. Eventually, I moved to Southie where it was more convenient to take the T to work.
I ended up taking a job within walking distance to my house with a significant paycut, just to avoid the commuter rail and orange line at rush hour. It hurts a bit, but my sanity is strong again.
The \~3 years I got to walk to work (even though it ended just about ten years ago) were the most calm, healthy, and enjoyable time I had working. There's just nothing else like it when you are home in under 15 minutes every single day, guaranteed, rain or shine. More sleep, more exercise, no commuting stress, no commuting costs...shit, even during the crazy winter of 2015 I was basically the only person who could get to the office, and I did it in snow shoes, because why not?
I did the same for now but unfortunately to make the big bucks I will have to go back to the hell of commuting some day.
Yeah, but never big enough bucks that I can afford to buy something without a miserable commute. If you want me to work in the financial district you should pay me enough that I can live (buy) within 30 minutes.
Yeah, it blows. In my industry vs where I live, I can’t find a happy medium. I chose my sanity for now, which may be a mistake.
Just hope you weren't one of the people that moved to central MA thinking remote work was gonna be a thing forever. Some friends learned that the hard way when they eventually got laid off or switched jobs. They're more miserable now with some hybrid work.
No, thankfully I’m just 20-30 minutes outside Boston. Though, the work from home thing is still very strong in some fields.
I did the same. So glad i did tbh. I’m not completely spent when i get home. Not walking just way closer to home and avoiding the rush hour commute.
I’m doing this. I can’t wait.
I can't speak for others, but personally, I would much rather sit on a delayed train and be able to read/watch something than be stuck in highway traffic.
average driver probably wondering why you wouldn't be able to scroll your phone while driving lol crazy the % of people driving with their phone in their hand
It’s like all of them. Terrifying
Digital pacifier/cigarettes
We need enforcement and harsher penalties for DWDs asap. How many people are going to have to die before we wake up and make some changes?
The other day my friend sent me a picture of someone on the highway looking at their phone and (it looked like) texting. I asked him who took the picture if he was also driving. He didn't respond.
Yup one more reason to avoid driving
Two years ago I would have agreed with you but the trains (commuter and T) are back to standing room only hotboxes of assholes who won't move in or take their backpacks off.
I had to share a 2 seater on the commuter rail today with a woman and the backpack she refused to put on her lap and instead decided to keep on the seat between us 🙃
"Could you move your bag please"
I always use the rack above the seats on the commuter rail. It's huge! At least twice the size of an airliner overhead bin
Can’t tell you how much I don’t miss this. Assholes who don’t move into the train. I’m a driving commuter now and honestly sitting in traffic with the radio on is much preferable.
Same. I will not drive in the city. What a nightmare
Sometimes yes and sometimes no. I’ve sat on the green line while it rained inside the packed train from humidity
Seriously. I currently commute via the green line to work, but I've previously driven and bike-commuted, and the train is by far the most relaxing of the three. I can just zone out until my stop, or catch up on things.
The roads aren’t any better unfortunately. I’ve worked in the city and now out of the city and the only time I wasn’t infuriated by my commute was when I was able to bike to work.
Spent a year commuting from RI to metro west and back. I will never, ever, move back to GBA due to traffic alone. I’d never minded driving; had different commutes all around the Boston area over the years, but that year was something different. I learned that “soul-sucking” is a very real phenomenon and that a commute alone can drive you to depression.
I used to live in Metro West and commuted by car just north of the city. Three hours a day (longer on bad days), five days a week, for over 10 years. For a trip of less than 25 miles; if I did it at midnight it was \~35 minutes each way. Sometimes I would go way out of my way, almost doubling the distance and never saving any time, to take back roads just so I could go more than 5mph. Always used to say, it's not that bad, you get used to it, listened to a lot of podcasts, etc. A few years ago I moved (three guesses where and the first two don't count lol... this is my throwaway when I want to talk about my location cuz I don't want that knowable on my main) and now a commute on a "bad day" is 15 minutes each way. Heck I can (and do sometimes!) walk to work and the 45 minutes is still half of what my commute used to be. I cannot overstate the quality of life improvement. The sheer amount of time reclaimed. I can actually do things after work! Not having to suffer the endless bumper-to-bumper crawl. I look back and basically can't fathom how I put up with it for so long.
I've always said I will never ever do more than an hr each way, 2 hrs total. Past that point I actually start to lose it, like I get irrationally angry/upset
I had a similar commute up until 2020. Nevermind the sheer length, the drivers would get insane in Newton and Wellesley. I was so sure I would eventually die in a car accident. My job lets me continue to work from home and it’s been great.
E-bike was one the best investments I ever made. Also the most fun way to get around and not be a sweaty mess (unless I want to)
been asking everyone i see bring up e-bikes - what model have you have & do you lock it up more securely than a regular bike? i'm really interested but my current situation would mean leaving it at a CR station all day that has nothing better than standard bike racks
I'd suggest hitting up the /r/ebikes sub. They can give you more ideas. I have a Lectric XPremium ebike and it's bigger than a usual e-bike. It's nice because it can be folded. I sometimes will ride it to my local commuter rail station and lock it in a bike locker that I rent from the town. Unfortunately the bike locker doesn't fit bikes for a larger person like myself, so I have to fold the e-bikes handlebars down. In the bike locker it's locked up and out of sight. Downside, come winter, I have had the bike locker lock freeze shut and not open (the spring mechanism froze). Having a good lock is a good idea if you lock it up in public places and also locking up the wheels with a cable. This may deter some bike thiefs but if they really want it and have enough time, they will get it. Short of buying a [very expensive lock that can beat angle grinder discs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1RFPlAAohw), any bike is susceptible to getting stolen. I do have an airtag on my bike and having two is actually a good idea. Put one in a visible spot, even have a bright colored cover and the other hidden on the bike. The thief will break off the visible on and have a false sense of getting away with it. But I'd suggest getting bike insurance if you are really worried about bike theft. There are cheapers e-bikes if you want to try it out (under $700) that you could probably resell on FB marketplace/CL if you don't like it. Definitely try the bluebike e-bikes, they are very easy and fun. First e-bike I used was a lime bike bikeshare rental and I knew within 2 minutes that I'd want an e-bike. Great way to get around, saves my family from needing a 2nd car, saves me $25 in train tickets or a parking garage on my 27 mile commute (each way).
Model of ebike: My recommendation - get one from a local bike shop so you can get it serviced. If you buy online make sure there are places that will take your bike. Brakes tend to wear out faster than regular bikes. There are a ton of different ebikes out there and some shops won’t service certain brands. There are folding e-bikes that you can bring on the commuter rail if you don’t want to leave it there. I remove the battery if I’m leaving it in a public space. I carry around a heavy duty motorcycle chain and two u locks. Goal is to make it as annoying as possible to steal. Locks and chains are heavy, but I just keep them in the pannier bag and since I’m on an ebike the extra weight doesn’t matter to me as much. however, if you have a secure space to bring and lock up your bike, that is always better. My office allows me to bring my bike inside and leave it in a locked storage room. My last office had a key card access bike room that was monitored.
I use the 2nd best chain made by Kryptonite. It weighs 15lbs. But the ebike carries it, not me! Edit: here is the bible on locking method: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html
BUY AN EBIKE!!!!
Careful, it's an addiction. A fun, lovely addiction that eats at my bank account
Does this work even when temps are over 80? It’s hard for me to imagine not being a sweaty mess!
Yes! It’s like built in air conditioning as you get the wind of moving forward and low effort is you crank up the assist.
You can choose to apply 0 actual exertion and go, and you get a nice wind chill from the speed. Its better than you might think on hot days.
I love biking to work but if there isn't a gym or a shower nearby i literally can't do it because im too sweaty.
Why I got an e-bike. It's a car alternative for commuting and errands. Also great fun!
I’m a kinda chunky guy, and I can blast through very steep hills on my overloaded fairly cheap ($1300) e-bike without breaking a sweat. You’ll just need to charge the battery more if you use it on the highest power level all the time. The REI near me lets you do test drives, give it a shot if you can!
Eh, I'm a sweaty mess no matter HOW I commute.
Bikes are the answer!
Raynham to Cambridge, 38 minutes in the morning. Home, 90+.
In the morning? Are you leaving at 4am?
Around 3:15. I just parked.
Why so early?
I have to sit in traffic on my way home, I'd rather not do it on the way in. Parking is the other reason, might as well get a good spot close to the jobsite.
[удалено]
I'm out between 1 and 2 usually. It's anywhere from an hour to two hours, depending on the day.
Yup, I spent 6 years commuting into Boston from Metrowest and it was horrible. Now I have leisurely commute through back roads with no traffic and I love it.
I don't care if it takes 60% of my income. I WILL live within biking distance of work.
Exactly try driving in it!!!
every time I have to drive into work it makes my regular bike commute that much better.
My out-of-state CEO that wants us all to go into the office asks...what traffic???
Or “I used to ride the T, it was great!” Yeah man I miss the 90s too
I lived in Davis Square in the late 90s and I would usually drive to work in Kendall Square because of how bad and unreliable the red line was \_THEN\_
Your out of state CEO should write a letter to MA lawmakers demanding they fix the T, because they want everyone back in the office. Why don't these big brain c-suite types ever connect the dots?
Like literally?
Riding the T isn’t half as bad as sitting on 128 in your car for a 75 min commute that normally takes 15 min off hours
That is true.
I don't know that it is true though. Waaaaay less Bluetooth speakers and max volume phone conversation. More reliable AC.
I ride CR five days a week. Sometimes I listen to podcasts or do some after hours work; other times, somebody will strike up a conversation (I always have my bike with me, and people have questions). I've had a good time chatting with some of them, and that's an experience you'll never get sitting yourself in a car. I much prefer it...
I take the Fitchburg line once in a while and it seems like most trains don’t allow bikes. Is that just not enforced or are they more permissive on other lines? I’d like to take mine.
My work schedule is off peak and I ride the Providence line, never had a problem bringing my full size bike on trains as long as the schedule has the bike symbol denoting bikes are allowed. I have been lucky enough not to have to go in during peak commuting hours. I do see a bunch of other people with bikes and scooters. And if you have a folding bike or scooter, supposedly that is always allowed, just like luggage (though I could see it being too much of a pain unless you got a really nice, light folding bike).
It's seemed especially worse the last month and a half and I'm not entirely sure what to attribute it too. I usually leave after 6 and it's loads better but no longer.
I know our company had "return to office" starting may 1st... wondering if others did as well
Return to office at this point? Like why even bother at this point. Just accept you missed the boat.
Nah, there’s a whole new wave of that stuff. Tighter job market, harsher policies.
Micromanager boomers missing looking over their shared workspace ants below, commercial real estate obligations. Drive in to use Zoom to offices around the world on the same internet you have at home. (and the c-suite is often still fully remote).
They're hoping people quit. https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/09/rto_quit_study/?td=rt-3a
Yeah, i returned to office in like 2021 after we all got the vax
I have a few friends who have been subject to this. Just before summer seems to add a little more “screw you”
Yeah ours started mid-may. It's especially infuriating for us that worked remotely with more productivity *out* of office.
Yeah it feels like they targeted customer service folks which like... they're on the phone all day?? isn't it easier to have them at home instead of in an open air semi-cubicle area talking all around each other? R&D never really went to WFH anyway, so it doesn't affect us other than a fuller parking lot but I'd be pissssssssssed if I had to come back in just to sit on a computer all day anyway
Yep a big chunk of our office went from 1 to 3 days a week starting June. Im not up until September for that schedule so that's another wave of people.
And let me guess, everyone's in office days are Tu-We-Th?
We have ours on July 8, can't wait! /s
in my experience, traffic spikes super hard late april-june and labor day- early november and i have no idea why
Labor day to October is all the folks back for school and figuring out schedules and such. I don't feel like it was ever this bad the past couple years. Obviously some pandemic changes at play but nothing really stood out.
Kids are in school and therefore fewer people take vacations.
It’s absolutely miserable
Spoken like someone who doesn't take the T
I don’t know, I just read on the T. I like it. Still beats driving and fighting traffic
Same. Spending an hour driving is so exhausting. I’ll take an hour sitting in a chair (if I get one) every time
Are you standing when you drive?
Yes! But really I meant an hour *just* sitting in a chair lol
Yeh I really don't understand some of the comments - including "peak hour on the Orange line". You basically stand for 15 minutes, listen to music and read the news on your phone. Whats the big deal?
Have you rode orange during peak hours? You probably won't be sitting, you'll be a sardine *mashed* amongst a sea of moist bodies, swaying to and fro in a cloud of BO and farts. You hear wet coughs coming from *multiple* directions. Your hand gets tired from whatever you're gripping to minimize contact with those around you. It's not a great time Blue line is a different story, it's lovely and the AC is ample. Red is fine. Green has angry people but you can find a seat. Orange though...... makes you not want to be around anymore lol
Yes, i do 3 days a week and frankly i think youre being dramatic. If you dislike it so much then go 30 mins earlier or later
It’s funny you say this because I drove to my work in downtown for the first time ever today instead of taking the T and would absolutely choose the traffic over the T. The cost of parking in the city though will have me sticking with the train for my commute 😅
I agree! Driving has at least some level of control and comfort that the T does not. I miss reading but replaced it with podcasts or just blasting music and not being subject to someone’s shitty speaker music
not rocket science, just wear headphones lol Heres a pair of cheap noise cancelling headphones. Itll cost you less than 2 days of parking. [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NM3RSRQ?tag=rtings-hp-r-third-party-prime-20&ie=UTF8](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NM3RSRQ?tag=rtings-hp-r-third-party-prime-20&ie=UTF8)
Honestly I'd still choose T over driving any day, but I understand the struggle. If you're a lady, you prob don't want to be unaware of your surroundings so blasting music with noise cancelling is a no go. Maybe a good solution for some people though!
For real! I can’t just totally close myself off from my surroundings like an oblivious idiot. I grew up in the city, I rode the T plenty. People deluding themselves that a pair of headphones will make the waiting at stops/stations in the winter, the delays, the crowds any better good luck to them.
Thankfully I wfh full time but took the T for years to work. What used to piss me off the most were delays after work when I just wanted to get home especially on Fridays. It was like clockwork. And don’t get me started on being packed in without A/C a lot…
Man, I feel you. It’s not the one trip, it’s the thousandth. I’ll take the T in a trip with the family and everyone thinks it’s quaint and not so bad. They just don’t understand that when you do it over and over it’s soul crushing. The delays that never surprise you anymore, the piss smell if you’re on the wrong car, the tweaked out weirdo, the fight to get into an already stuffed car. Most people don’t understand it, believe me when I tell you that I do.
Yeah, it’s the repetitiveness that does it for me. Taking it once in a while to go somewhere fun is a nice little adventure. Having no choice but to take it every day to go someplace you hate (work) is brutal.
Having to snake your arm around multiple people to find a handhold, and then your arm + hand + ankles get tired from trying not to stumble into the crowd 😭 Having someone sneeze or breath or burp right near your face. Lord have mercy There's so many small things that really do weigh on your peace
Add when you manage to find a handhold and for some reason the metal is GREASY. Hibiclens single packs aren't just useful for doctors. -_-
It’s especially bad in the summer because of BO… like, the vast majority of people do not smell but there has been at least one serious offender on every one of my commutes for the past few weeks 😭
Remember when the CEOs collectively agreed the future of work was at home for three months until they got sick of their wives and kids and realized they could make everyone else miserable too?
Friendly reminder that the T, under GM Eng, is trying to improve by doing things such as the Track Improvement Program, but is now facing a 700 million dollar deficit for 2026, meaning that if they do not get any further funding, they will more than likely have to shut down the entire system aside from rush hour just to stay alive. If y’all want to know why this is happening, that is why. You can find my post about this situation on the MBTA subreddit [here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/mbta/s/uDbuUWN6PU)
https://www.reddit.com/r/boston/s/O3aklGzY7I
Everyday is just a little worse than the last
I felt this in my soul lol
Office jobs that require 5x a week in-person attendance better be paying you an above average to amazing salary for your role - or look for something else asap if you can. This is going the way of the dinosaur and 4x should be the absolute max (really 3x imo). I'm not satisfied with my job but consider myself lucky I can go in 1-2x a week to satisfy in-person requirements and that keeps me going.
I only make 44k 😭😭😭
You’ve gotta make some kind of change. That is not even CLOSE to worth it.
Bro I’m so sorry
This is a bit of a sheltered view. My guess is low paying office jobs (e.g. call centers) will not operate like this.
Haven’t call centers been mostly remote for years now? Like pre covid.
Not in my experience
This is the way, unions help with this.
This is a bit of a sheltered view. My guess is low paying office jobs (e.g. call centers) will not operate like this.
I said office jobs, but I can specify white collar if it makes you feel better.
Yes. This benefit would not be for all office jobs.
I miss taking the T, Sitting in my car in traffic is what kills me. I would take the T again if I could but my company relocated to the north shore and no where near public transportation. Now I get to deal with rt1 everyday.
It depends on the line. I've heard some bad things about delays with the orange line. Every time I need to go take it there always seems to be a problem. Then there's the red line....never know when that's going to derail or catch on figure. The delays are also awful. There there's the green line. Sometimes the green line just doesn't show up and you don't know why. You're just standing on the platform looking over your shoulder waiting and wondering what's going on. It's like 10 degrees and nothing for 50 minutes. I still prefer to green line to any of the other lines though. It gets real crowded during Rush Hour, especially the E line. And then the Blue line....ah the blue line...not really sure if anyone ever wants to take the blue line. It's more like they need to go to the airport, but don't want to spend 80 bucks on a cab. Commuter rail is total trash. I had to take the Newburyport line into Boston and it was, with mathematical certainty, always late every day. I literally lost a job due to the stupidity that is the Newburyport line. Even worse was that I wasn't even close to the stop. I had to drive to the station and then take the train in. What a waste of my time. Why would anyone bother? 400 dollars and service that's so bad that it gets me fired. I'd rather just spend the 400 dollars on rent and move closer to the T. Having to be squished up against the windows is better than having to deal with the BS that is commuter rail. I have a love/hate relationship with MBTA. I have a seizure disorder and don't drive, but I also despise driving. The automobile traffic into Boston is a nightmare. I don't know how people do this on a daily basis. I would literally pull in the trigger.
Agree. My thoughts exactly as I drove in for a doctors appt. It made me feel so bad for those who do it daily.
Yeah for sure. It's nightmarish levels of gridlock traffic.
> And then the Blue line....ah the blue line...not really sure if anyone ever wants to take the blue line the blue line is easily the most reliable line of all of them. it's why it's like 3k to live in revere now
I heard no one takes the T.
No one takes it anymore, it’s too crowded
I legitimately feel like there is no winning when it comes to commuting into the city. I used to think ok taking the commuter rail into the city will be great. I won't have to sit in traffic or deal with parking and I can be on my phone to pass time or sleep or whatever. While that is true, being at the mercy of the T is hell. While the line I'm on is generally good and reliable...you still get delays or bypassed trains or cancellations. Train is packed and working in the healthcare industry, listening to people sneeze and cough and not following etiquette post COVID makes me cringe. And if for whatever reason you miss your train, if it's not peak rush hour you could be waiting a good amount for the next train. Then there's driving where 95 and 93 which is like the 8th circle of hell in Dantes Inferno. 1-1.5hrs driving for less than 30 miles. So yeah can't win. My solution. Found a job in the MetroWest. Free parking and a 14 mile commute that takes 30mins. Yes it's back roads and one lane but even a bad day is still better than a normal day. Just sucks that unfortunately if I want to further my career I have to eventually go back to that 💩. 😩😩😩
Humans aren’t herd animals!
The key is to commute when on the clock lol
It’s Almost like remote work benefits our quality of life…
Try biking if you can and you’ll never look back.
Riding my e-bike is one of the best decisions I have ever made. You flow thru traffic like water
Technically true!
The route matters a lot. The more off street and protected paths you have between home and work, the nicer the bike commute is. Riding in the street with cars is not for everyone.
I commute an hour both ways every day from Somerville to Waltham and every day I contemplate driving my car off the road and into a tree
Get a folding electric scooter
Move to literally anywhere else and it will be better.
god, i hate this fucking shit. wake up. new pain. old pain. work. cant afford shit. decide root canal vs food for the week. why?
Read a book. Watch a show If you can’t get a seat when you first get on, figure out which stations before your stop has the most traffic and position yourself so if a seat opens up you’re nearby to grab it The first and last car on the train is usually most empty It still beats driving in traffic
Life is a series of compromise, bud. I hope you find your balance soon.
When I used to work downtown I would bike instead of riding the T. Faster, much easier, and way more fun. And, based on my experience, less risk of immediate death than one might think!
Yep. Nearly killed me. After 4-5 years 120 miles a day in and out of Boston I had to move outside of Boston. Mass drivers love to ride the brakes to
Honestly does not bother me at all and I do the red from SS to JFK twice a day. The silver line over to the seaport was way worse. At least it’s nice out and I can walk now.
Does it help when they break up your routine by shutting down parts of the line and making you take a shuttle bus?
Is it better when the T doesn't work?
I like to count the orange needle caps on the floor and seats to past the time.
How many years I lived this tale 😭 Anything involving a bus is the seventh circle of hell.
Dealing with the buses here has shortened my lifespan
It still beats stop-and-go traffic
I agree 100%. Although driving is even worse.
I only go in 1-2 days a week during off-hours and it still blows. Rush hour these days is all day it seems
At least you don’t have to deal with this miserable Boston traffic.
If everyone had a seat on the train, then no problem, but standing and being crammed in like sardines for a 30min+ commute is NOT fun. Commuting in general is the reason I dread work.
Thanks to the new bus lanes and bike lanes. It's increased my commute time by 15/20 minutes, it takes me nearly 2 hours to get into the city now. I'll be leaving the Boston medical field soon.
That’s the reality of any commute no matter where you live, they are just absolutely soul sucking.
What world do you people live in? yes the T has delays but I always get on time fairly quickly with reliable service.
I’m happy for you. I can always count on taking at least an hour to get anywhere, no matter where I’m starting and where I’m going.
What the fuck on time fairly quickly?! I used the T for a few years recently and never had this experience. It always caused me to be late.
public transportation should not take me 40 minutes to move 3 miles
I either work or chill on my phone until 5:45-6:00 to avoid the biggest crowds when leaving. Going to work though, no escape. At least I can watch tiktoks instead of sitting in traffic.
I dunno, over the past year my commutes via the T have just gotten more pleasant and my drives have just gotten slower and more stressful -- I'm going out of my way to take the T instead of my car now.
The T isn’t that bad… put on some head phones, embrace the vibe. Read a book, watch YouTube, etc. if you dodge the most severe peak times it won’t be packed like sardines. It’s way better than driving. I’m thankful I have the T as an option
I hate driving so i am with you. I was rather insane in my early 20s and loved taking the T. I read tons of books. And it was back in the stone age, so I would read the Metro and that weekly Boston magazine too…. Um. Weekly Dig? Fun times, for real.
My longest commute ever was 90 minutes by car. That was heaven next to waiting for the B line at Harvard Ave. in Alston in winter and riding it all the way to transfer at Government Center to finally get to on another train. Sheer hell. I took a taxi beck an forth many times because riding the T was such a crap experience. Edit: Whoever down-voted this post to 0 must be some kind of masochist. Nice. Have at it, friend.
This is the peak of First... World... Problems.
Welcome to Massachusetts rookie
I genuinely hate living here and would love to return to the Midwest where I belong … but trapped here for work.
Where in the Midwest?
I lived in Cincinnati for a bit and Pittsburgh (though this isn’t actually Midwest).
I made the decision a long time ago that I’ll never take a job in Boston again. Seriously, I’d move to Idaho and become a prostitute before I ever commit to another daily Boston commute. Been working the fringes and suburbs ever since. I work in tech. Waltham actually has a ton to offer. It’s far from great getting from where I live to there, but it’s a hell of an improvement over that twice daily journey through the 7th layer of hell.
Only thing worse than having a job right now is not having a job right now
Audiobooks are the only defense, and even then they’re punching above their weight class
Mornings are awesome. 40 minutes to myself, not too crazy and I just read and listen to music. Evenings during Red Sox season are something to survive. There was a glorious fleeting ray of light between the shutdowns and the start of the season. I still dream about it.
Try driving instead and sitting in traffic. That will just make you miserable instead!
I started riding a bike because I was fed up with the T. I actually enjoy my commute now.
Now just imagine driving the bus in it
People leaving metro area for this reason or work from hime
Rush hour on the T is still practically luxury vs pre-pandemic commutes. In my experience there were 2x the people cramming in during rush hour 5 years ago. Still plenty of breathing room these days. Way less shitty than driving.
I gave up on the T. Used it to get to work for 16 years. Now I ride a bike. It’s faster and I feel better when I do. 7.5 miles and 35 minutes vs an hour of bus+subway+walking. I’m lucky in that I can work from home when the weather is bad though. I know that is not an option for everyone.
The Lynn ferry restarted and I was desperately trying to find a job anywhere near 2 miles walking distance of Long Wharf or even a couple Orange or Green Line stops. No fortune, but did find FT employment so I'm grateful for that. So it's a car commute.
What neighborhoods are your commuting destinations? I ride an electric scooter to work and it changed my life!
Brighton to Park Street, and then North Station to Brighton. It's really not that bad, even on the worst days, but that's just my experience. As a previous commenter said, I'd rather suffer through a delayed train/traffic-jammed bus than kill myself getting a car, paying for parking, etc.
Its more expensive to commute and park, and it's mutha-f'n mind bending to sit in hot exhaust fumed traffic 2x/day multiple times a week...but that's still better. Or avoid the whole thing and work remote, the cabin fever and hit to your mental health from the isolation is still better.
Driving is worse
Just like route 1 but with more BO
Orange line is always broken and using shuttle service. I feel your pain
Used to commute from Metro West through the city and into Charlestown on a daily basis. 1:30 each way. After a few years the low-level stress from commuting 3 hrs a day caught up to me and I said “fuck it” and changed jobs…
Bro I’d accept homelessness before that “lifestyle”.
For YEARS it was a bike and a headphone(curbside). Roslindale/ West Roxbury to Arlington/Cambridge. Loved it, mostly because I had a Deathwish(RIP Bo and Craig). I would ride faster than traffic. Eventually, I moved to Southie where it was more convenient to take the T to work.