Isn’t parking Downtown lovely and wonderful?
Working in Downtown Detroit for the last year and a half and living in Midtown, it’s become very clear that parking Downtown is time-consuming, stressful, expensive, and far from lovely. After spending tens of hours navigating parking structures before and after work, I decided to ditch my typical commute and try any other way to get to work. In all, I’ve tried walking, scooting, the QLine, and MoGo. Here’s what I found.
Walking
This is a great option in good weather and if your commute is less than a mile. In anything but relatively warm and dry weather, poorly plowed or salted sidewalks can make the walk treacherous, and cars generally don’t pay attention to people walking in poor weather conditions. In anything but ideal conditions, you have to be extra careful and alert to what’s happening around you.
Scooting
By far my favorite option, Bird, Lime, and Spin provide great options to get quickly from place to place. For rides around one mile the price is typically around $3.50, making it the most expensive option. However, the price comes with a level of convenience, speed, reliability, and enjoyment that none of the other options provide. However, they are the worst option when there is any level of snow or ice accumulation.
Source: https://www.crainsdetroit.com/mobility/bird-more-doubles-scooter-rental-fees-detroit
QLine
I wanted to like the QLine, I really did. However, it’s unreliable, slow, and not cheap enough to warrant using it over another option. If you live and work near stops, this is a good option for days with bad weather, especially because the stops are heated. In decent weather, there are better options to traverse the distance it currently extends.
MoGo
MoGo is surprisingly easy and reliable. I expected to dislike my MoGo experience due to the heavy weight of the bikes, but it was quite nice, especially for trips under a mile and a half. With tons of stations and the Transit app, it is easy to see where you can pick up and drop off a bike. The ebikes are even nicer, making the ride less strenuous and enjoyable.
Source: https://mogodetroit.org/pricing/
Ultimately, your commute choice depends on where you live and work. If you want to ditch your car, you’re best served to use all available options based on the weather, how early you wake up, and what you feel like that day. I haven’t commuted far enough to warrant using the buses to get to work, but for commutes over a mile or two, buses become a great and reliable option for you. No matter what you do, be sure to invest in good all-weather shoes and a jacket.
Want to change your commute? Drop a comment below to tell others what you do to #ditchthecar!