Transportation Alternatives in Florida

With so many different transportation alternatives in Florida, it’s fair to say that America’s car culture is in a slump.

If you’ve been commuting to and from work in your personal vehicle, it can take you out of your comfort zone to think about trying a new mode of transportation to get to the office.

It could be even difficult if you’re new to Florida and you’re trying to learn the area.

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Before you rely on your car daily, consider trying transportation alternative in Florida.

Why should people consider alternative forms of transportation?

Just because you own a car doesn’t mean that you have to drive everywhere. Florida isn’t called the Sunshine State for no reason.

Since it’s sunny almost year-round, it’s the ideal place to walk, bicycle, and try out other transportation alternatives so you have less of a reliance on your personal car.

Not only is it exciting to mix things up and try new things, it can also benefit you in a number of ways. If you’re not the type of person to immerse yourself in new experiences, consider the following reasons why residents in Florida should open their minds and try mobility in a different way:

– Health

Believe it or not, driving can take a toll on your health. Not only does the average commuter drive their car, they also take calls, discipline their kids, and even eat breakfast in their car. You might consider yourself a master multi-tasker, but there are limits to concentration.

Your brain literally can’t process everything all at the same time and it can affect your brain power in the future.

Not to mention the fact that you’re surrounded by anger and frustration on the roadways. Instead of affecting your health daily as a commuter, it’s best to consider alternatives from time to time.

– Savings

Unless you’re close enough to the office to bike or walk to work, you’ll probably have to pay at least a small fee to take public transportation or hire a driver. You can still save money on transportation alternatives, even when you have to pay.

According to data that was gathered by the American Public Transportation Association, Americans all throughout the nation consumer about 4.2 billions of gallons of gas each year.

In the households where drivers use public transportation, they drive an average of 4,400 miles less. This will help you slow wear and tear, reduce your maintenance expenses, and reduce your fuel expense.

– Avoid Traffic and Stress Less

There’s nothing worse than sitting in traffic, especially when you’re about to be late to work or school. You can’t control the road speed, but you can’t help but anger as you sit behind the wheel completely stopped.

You have to maintain a steady speed, brake, signal, change lanes, and follow the perfect distance behind vehicles. Every part of driving adds to stress levels.

Since driving is a stressful activity, it’s best that it’s an activity that you avoid regularly. You can still drive from time to time, but for the sake of your mental health and your quality of life, it’s best for you to look for modes of transportation that are less stressful.

– Lower Car Insurance Rates

Car insurance in Florida isn’t cheap. In fact, it’s the sixth expensive state to buy insurance in with an average annual premium of $1,140. If you want to reduce your insurance expenses, an effective way to do so is to drive your car less. Once you change your habits, you must compare rates.

Taking the bus or carpooling with another coworker is a great way to reduce how much you drive your car. When you reduce your time on the road, it reduces your exposure to accidents.

If you can find a different way to work, you can pay pleasure vehicle rates and also take advantage of low-usage discounts that are hard to qualify for when you’re commuting to and from work.

– The Overall Tone of Your Ride

Riding in a car in traffic for hours out of the day is very difficult, especially when you don’t have company. Believe it or not, public transportation gives you a reason to be more social. You can have pleasant communications with new people from different walks of life and change your outlook on life.

– Environmental Benefits

Air pollution levels in South Florida are low, partially because of all of the transportation alternatives that are available to residents.

Thanks to tighter emissions standards and buses that have a lower carbon footprint, it’s possible to keep air quality high. Commuters can reduce pollution by continuing to use public transportation.

Types of Alternate Transportation in Florida

There are plenty of forms of alternative transportation in Florida to choose from. It all depends on your preference, where you live in the Sun Belt, how far you’re traveling, and what your budget is.

Here are the best options from Broward County all the way to Southwest Florida:

– Florida Transit Authority

There are several different Florida transit links located all throughout the state. Some of these transit links run statewide and others only run intercity and regionally. All of the transit agencies in the state are overseen by the American Public Transportation Association.

Fares are dependent on the authority and the link. Here’s a list of the agencies available by location:

• Daytona Beach – VOTRAN
• Fort Myers – LeeTran
• Gainesville – Regional TS
• Jacksonville – Jacksonville Transit Authority
• Miami/West Palm Beach – Broward County Transit, Miami-Dade TA, Palm Tran, South Florida RTA
• Orlando – Lynx
• Tallahassee – StarMetro
• Tampa-St. Petersburg – HART, Pinellas Suncoast TA

– Bicycle and Pedestrian Program

If you would rather be more active and bike or walk to your destination of choice, you’ll be happy to hear that the Federal Highway Administrations Bicycle and Pedestrian Program has helped with funding to make trails and paths more comfortable and safe.

While it can take a lot more time to walk somewhere than it takes to ride, allotting more time to get from point A to point B can help you get fit. If you need help motivating yourself before you walk to the store or office, try getting a FitBit or another tool that you can link to a health app to track your steps.

There are bicycle facilities located on public highways all throughout Florida. The state even has a Bicycle Friendly Roads Interactive GIS Viewer that helps you see the road in real time.

Make sure that you familiarize yourself with the Florida Department of Transportation’s Sun Trail Network that’s connected statewide and also pedestrian facilities and how they are used for safety.

– Ridesharing Services in Florida

If you’d rather be in a vehicle in a more intimate setting, there’s always the option to hire a driver through a ridesharing service provider.

Ridesharing is becoming increasingly popular. It’s a more modernized way to carpool because you arrange a ride in a privately owned vehicle, the only difference is that someone you don’t know is driving.

There are plenty of different rideshare services to choose from. While Uber and Lyft have been the most popular options for the last few years, they aren’t the only options. Slugging and Share a Ride are other popular options that don’t require money.

Instead, you take up space in the vehicle so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of the carpool lane.

You can find different options by visiting a Park and Ride or by looking for a Share a Ride sign located throughout highways and public areas. If you would like to take an Uber or Lyft to your destination, you can download the app and request your ride in minutes.

– Telecommuting

More and more companies are recognizing the benefits of telecommuting. If you have a job that offers you the option to work from an office at home, you might not even need to commute to work. Find out if you can ask for a more flexible schedule and that could save you money and stress.

Comparing Auto Insurance Premiums When Your Habits Change

If you’re going to cut down on your driving, you should start to review your insurance. Some companies have better rates for commuters and others have better rates for pleasure drivers.

You should always review your premiums once each term and then get at least four quotes before you decide if you should switch carriers.

If you’re not sure how to start shopping around for auto insurance, the best thing to do is shop around online. You can enter your Florida zip code into the tool, update your driving habits, and then you will see how much taking alternative forms of transportation will save you.

Enter your zip code below to compare car insurance rates from top companies in your area today!