Interview with a 26 year old female who lives and works in Old City
A typical week: I'm fortunate enough to walk to work everyday--I live at 2nd and Church (half a block above Market) and work at 6th and Market. It's such a short distance that it's silly not to walk and I get in a bit of exercise. At the end of the workday, I walk to the gym (5th and Spruce) and then walk home. On days I have class (Wednesdays this semester) I walk from work to 15th and Market. After class, I used to take the El home because it's convenient--there's a stop outside TUCC and outside my apartment (2nd and Market). It's cheap and easy to use. I've only taken the bus once and I think it's a pretty intimidating experience--I never know where it's going to stop--and it's a bit stressful to determine whether I should pull that cord over the window or not--and when to do it. So the El is usually my choice. However, a few weeks ago, a man got attacked at an El stop in Center City. Since I am traveling by myself at night, I decided to forgo the El for a bit and grab a cab or convince my boyfriend to pick me up after class. I'm pretty satisfied with the cab situation in the city...the drivers are usually pretty friendly and know where they're going. I take cabs whenever I'm going out on the weekends or a random weeknight. It's nice to hop in and go--without having to figure out a public transportation route or walk anywhere. I don't have a car in the city--I'm the world's worst parallel parker, and I couldn't justify the costs of gas, insurance, and parking when I would only use it to go grocery shopping about twice a month. When I have to make a trek to the supermarket, I borrow my boyfriend's car, or bum a ride when a friend also has a grocery trip planned. Lucky for me, all of my friends have cars. And I'm OK with being a mooch. Finally, I'm a big fan of trains. I take Septa Regional Rail lines to see family in the suburbs--probably at least once a month for a baby shower, trip to see my grandmother, or other family get-togethers. Or I'll take it to the airport to catch a flight or pick someone up. It's reasonably-priced, has regular convenient schedules, and the Market East station (12th and Market) is close to work and home. The trains usually run on time--and it's never disgustingly crowded, which is nice. Each summer, I take the New Jersey transit train every weekend to Atlantic City. Someone will pick me up from there to take me to North Wildwood where my family has a house. If friends come with me, we drive, and I skip the train.
So that's that. To sum up, here's a day when I take a few modes of transportation--I walk to work (why not?), and then to class (clear my head after work and it doesn't cost me anything), and then take the El home (runs pretty frequently, cheaper than a cab, door-to-door service (sort of)). The next day, I borrow a car to drive the grocery store (I go to a place on Columbus or 5th and Spruce, which aren't so far that I have to drive, but there's no way I'm lugging bags anywhere). Then, I might jump on a train to head somewhere out of town--(again, convenient, I don't have to ask to borrow a car for a long period of time, and I get some time to get some work done or read a book.)
