I start working back at The Westin tomorrow. Hooray.
Assuming that the price of gas is $3.90/gal, and figuring that it’s 43 miles roundtrip to work in a car with an average fuel efficiency of 25 mpg, I figured that it would cost me $16.71 a day to drive to work, after adding on employee parking ($8) and a tip for the valet (usually $2). Pros include privacy, music (loud, obnoxious singing FTW), convenience, air conditioning, and the freedom to come and go on my own schedule. Cons include traffic jams on I-93, road construction on Route 18, spending more money, and causing lots of nasty pollution.
My only alternative is taking the T. It’s 16 miles roundtrip to Braintree Station, so I figured that it would cost me $12.50 a day to take the Red Line into work from Braintree (parking is $5 and the subway ride would be an additional $5). Pros include not having to fight traffic, saving $4.21 per trip, avoiding road construction, and being more environmentally friendly. Cons include having to cater to the T’s schedule, sweating through my shirt and tie with a blazer on, and the fact that I probably won’t be able to find parking in the afternoons at the Braintree garage.
Tentatively, I’ll be driving into town again, five days a week. Blegh.
