Can a Chatty Commute Make you Happier?

Written by Judy Bortman

Often my car radio is tuned to NPR (National Public Radio). A few days ago I heard an interview during morning drive time that presented a paradoxical idea. A university researcher was sharing his findings about communication between commuters.

The study found that talking to strangers on public transit made people happier and even healthier. I thought the topic was intriguing, especially because it contradicted what Mom had always said about not talking to strangers.

It turns out that keeping to ourselves on the bus or train may not be serving us well after all. It’s a social contradiction. According to Nicholas Epley and a PhD student, Juliana Schroeder, from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, striking up a conversation with a stranger gave lonely commuters a boost in happiness.

A Recent Commuter Study: An experiment in Chicago randomly assigned train and bus riders to either talk to the stranger next to them or commute quietly. The Result: Even for introverts, silence leaves you sadder. 

Epley and Booth found that people were much happier when talking to the commuter sitting next to them. In fact, they found that the other person was also happier.

Additionally, their research revealed that people misinterpreted the silence of fellow-commuters as “not wanting to talk.” It was a misguided cue interpreted as wanting to be left alone.

Epley and Booth urged commuters to be brave and start a conversation with a fellow commuter who may be just as eager for human communication. You can listen to the entire interview at NPR.org.

Do you prefer a "quiet commute?"
 
Some commuters really want to be left alone. They just want to "chill" during their ride to or from work and choose to refrain from conversation or even from using their cell phone.

If you prefer to read, work or just relax during your commute, seek out the Quiet Commute Car option that’s available on a growing number of NJ Transit trains.

"We heard from our customers that they want to enjoy the benefits of Quiet Commute cars on trains during off-peak hours in addition to peak periods, and we are taking action based directly on their recommendations," said Executive Director Veronique Hakim in a recent press release. "We want our customers to know that their feedback will continue to be the driving force behind NJ TRANSIT’s ongoing efforts to improve their overall experience on our system."

Learn more about Quiet Commute cars on NJ Transit Northeast Corridor trains.

If you’re seated next to a stranger on the train or a bus, would you start talking?

For me, it’s a personal preference. I’d trust my intuition and how I interpret the body language of the person sitting next to me. If he or she is actively involved in reading or has their head down and eyes focused on their smartphone, I’d leave them alone and respect their commuter “timeout.”

If they’re looking around or staring out the window, I’d give conversation a try. After all, research has confirmed that talking to “our neighbor” on the train or bus can make us happier. And who doesn’t want to be happier!

What would you do?

Cherishing and Creating Holiday Traditions

Written by Judy Bortman

It’s almost Thanksgiving. Suddenly life has ratcheted up. The season for holidays, traditions, traffic congestion and guilt-free eating is officially underway!

 

Throngs of travelers on the roads and last-minute shoppers crowding the supermarkets remind us that this is a hectic, fast-paced holiday. We hope you eke out a moment to pause, enjoy and savor time with family and friends. It’s what Hallmark calls, “priceless.”

Where feasible, try taking public transit to family celebrations, gatherings with friends and holiday events. Riding the bus or train is a safe, sane, stress-reducing and hands-free way to travel, especially during peak travel times and inclement weather.

Online resources and smartphone applications help seasoned commuters as well as occasional public transit riders plan their route and reduce their stress. Here are some tips to get you started:

• The New Jersey Transit website has bus and train schedules as well as a point-to-point Trip Planner to help you find a specific route, options and schedules.


• MyBus provides online access to bus information for more than 19,000 bus stops

Using public transit to take a break from holiday traffic is one way to “push the pause” button during the long Thanksgiving weekend.

Park & Ride Lots located throughout the state are an ideal place to connect to public transit or meet friends and family to share a ride. Some lots offer free parking while others charge a nominal fee or require a permit. You can find Park & Ride lots in northwest New Jersey with the Map It page on our website.

While growing up, Thanksgiving Day was all about family and food. The holiday ritual began by getting dressed in a “party outfit” and traveling to Grandma’s house. (Yes, I really did go “over the river and through the woods” to get there because Garden State Parkway Exit 102 didn’t exist then). We’d see relatives that lived far away, get caught up on family happenings and hear childhood stories related (once again) by Uncle Alvin or Aunt Eleanor.

Eating lingered throughout the day starting at a buffet table of appetizers, moving to the dining room table for carving the “bird” and passing a host of side dishes. The feast was topped off with a plethora of desserts. Who can have just one?

On Thanksgiving Day it was okay to have whipped cream on your slice of pumpkin pie and to try the pecan pie, too. No guilt. It was family time. We’d always joke that calories didn’t count.

After pitching in to help with the dishes, everyone would settle themselves in the living room to overcome a carbohydrate-induced food coma. Of course we all knew that would happen. Conversation lingered into the evening until it was time to collect our “care package” of leftovers and head home feeling content and satisfied. Such was our Thanksgiving Day tradition.

Whatever way you travel to spend Thanksgiving Day, consider hitting the “pause button” for a few minutes to reflect on what you’re thankful for. Perhaps that “time out” moment will become your new Thanksgiving Day tradition.

Enjoy and travel safely! Happy Thanksgiving Day from TransOptions.

Six Must-Have Mobility Apps

Written by Daniel Callas

These free transportation and travel apps will give you all the tools you need to better plan your trips, avoid delays and take advantage of mass transit options. If you don’t already have them ready to go on your phone, give them a shot and see what you’ve been missing. Have any favorites you don’t see here? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!

1. Google Maps
(Google Play) (App Store)

This one should really go without saying. Google has the financial strength to outmatch the competitors and it does just that. Maps has gone through several iterations over the years, and with the somewhat-recent acquisition of Waze (check it out, it’s also a good app on its own) and the gradual rollout of Waze’s features, Google continues to provide travelers with a powerful tool to get where they’re going by bike, walk, transit or car and avoid delays in the process.

2. Ridescout
(Google Play) (App Store)

While it’s still expanding, Ridescout is far and away the up-and-comer on the circuit. Aiming to serve as a one-stop-shop for getting around, there’s no doubt this one will gain traction among the less-car-reliant millennial generation. Ridescout allows you to enter in your starting point and destination and will then give you all the options of travel, from Uber and cabs to mass transit and bike share. And it all comes with a time estimate and cost breakdown.

3. Uber
(Google Play) (App Store)

Despite the controversy, Uber is forging ahead, and for good reason. The taxi alternative offers passengers a clean and convenient ride around town, and because drivers use their own vehicles, they can offer the service at a reduced cost from traditional cab companies. Check out our post Tech Innovation Targets Transportation for more on Uber and the battle over rideshare.

4. Transit App
(Google Play) (App Store)

If you only get one mass transit app for your phone, you’d better make it the oh-so-cleverly-named Transit App. Simply enter in your start and end points for your trip, and see what’s available and what your travel itinerary would look like. The app also includes real-time NJ Transit bus information for you to plan your own trip.

5. NJ TRANSIT MyTix
(Google Play) (App Store)

If you only get two mass transit apps for your phone, be sure to grab NJ TRANSIT’s MyTix. MyTix allows you to buy rail tickets and passes at any time and display them from your phone when you’re riding any one of NJT’s trains. Bus tickets can also be purchased through the app for NJT’s southern region. The app allows you to store two credit cards to allow for easy payment when you're on the move.

6. Best Parking
(Google Play) (App Store)

If you’re going to be doing any city driving, this app’s for you. The other apps can get you there, but with Best Parking, you'll be able to find the best garage and lot rates around you all while avoiding circling the block a dozen times looking for a better option. With 105 supported cities you’ll be good to go almost any time you travel.