The Inclusive on Courtland | 38, 34, 30 & 29 fl | Proposed

[jeffster]

In a nutshell, K-W still warrants a car, hands down...I don't think there's any way of truly getting around it...especially if you have a family...

I have lived here 19 years and have never felt the need to own a car. Bicycling and public transit have always been sufficient. There are a lot of people with families who don't own cars. I see them on the buses and on bicycles.

I think it really depends on a persons or families situation. For some, walking/biking/transit will work fine. For others, it just won't.

If I were to look at my situation:

Regarding my work: I work shifts, 7 times I have to start by 6am another 7 times I finish at 12:00am -- no bus service. Walking not an option, biking not a real option either (I have bad asthma, which activates during very warm weather and anything below 12ºC). That leaves me using a cab (about $40 per trip) for at least 16x out of 4 weeks (13 periods).

I take care of my elderly mom. A doctors visit, for example, is 3 transfers and about 6 hours of bussing and walking (likely too much walking). Only other option is to take a cab (about $35x2).

My daughter is 'special needs'. It's more of a mental health issues, but she's OCD when it comes to germs, and can't handle being around people she doesn't know. Use a cab is the only other option, but it's still not a good one.

My son works part time, 3 or 4 nights a week. Again, no bus service to work or after for 2 of his days (due to weekend service). Only option then is using a cab and/or biking during good weather (he has equipment that can't get wet, nor risk a fall). Cab is about $18 per trip.

So, we'll say cost to me without a car to do the minimum:
1 Bus pass (me) 12x$90=$1080
About 50 bus tickets for son=$143 (reduced rate)
Cab: Myself $8,320
Cab: Son $3,930
Cab: Mother $840
Cab: Daughter at least $500

Total transportation costs: $14,813

This assumes that I am the only one by groceries, and no bus or cab trips to any other place, just walking. It also excludes visits to the dentists, eye doctor, and no outings outside of the city. It also assumes son can bike to work at least 1/2 the time. It assume no retail shopping (the mall, any large plaza like Sunrise), etc, no movie nights out, no eating out, etc.

If I were to include the above (minus kid biking to work), you could probably tack on at least $4,000 in costs for a total of $18,813 just to have a somewhat, but not truly comparable life.

I just try to think how I would visit a friend/family in Hamilton or Toronto or near Owen Sound, which a normally do at least once or twice a month. I think in those cases, you need a rent a car, so add another $1,000/year for that:

$19,813

My cost for the car:

Bi-Weekly payments: 26x$187: $4,862
Gas: About $25/week: $1,300
Insurance: $1,300
Maintenance (under a plan): $0
Depreciation: Excluded as payments exceed depreciation -$1,000
Total: $7,462. -- with depreciation (car is worth more than owe): $6,462

As for other drawbacks of not having a car and just using transit/cabs/bikes/walking for day to day things like work, appointments, grocery shopping, etc, is the amount of time all that it takes is pretty significant.

But having a car for this family works out to 1/3 the cost of the alternative.