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?

Planning to Retire? Add Transit to Your Checklist

Written by Judy Bortman

We’ve heard the phase, “Location, location, location,” when scouting for places to buy or rent a home.  It’s now the mantra for the millions of seniors who are retiring, downsizing and selling the family home. They’re leaving the suburbs where driving was the only way to get around and migrating to the city where walkable neighborhoods and public transit abound.

Why this seismic shift?  Several factors are intersecting:

Americans are living longer:
According to Business Insider, the 65-74 age group is 10 times larger than in 1900 and the 85+ age group is 40 times larger.  Centenarians, people who are 100 years of age or older, is a word you’ll hear popping up more often in the coming years. There’s even a selection of Hallmark cards to celebrate that landmark birthday.

U.S. Census data from 2010 reveals that there are about 50,000 people over 100 in the United States, almost three times as many as there were in 1980.

Boomer Power:
Baby boomers, people born from 1946 to 1964, are retiring in droves. It’s estimated that 10,000 “boomers” in the United States are turning 65 every day until the year 2030.  The volume of this demographic wields tremendous social and economic clout as children of the 1960s continue to be trend-setters.  They’re leading the march from the suburbs to the cities.

Giving up the keys is a large part of the equation:
Many seniors want to stay active physically and mentally.  This means going out of the house, taking classes, doing volunteer work, getting together with friends and scheduling appointments.

Moving to a city or senior-friendly community can enhance the quality

of life for seniors who are no longer able to drive.  They can walk or take public transit

to appointments and activities that support their mental and physical well-being.

If you live in the suburbs most, if not all, of these activities require transportation which means driving by yourself.  Once a suburban senior no longer drives, they are isolated from activities, friends and are frequently challenged to get around to appointments and services. By living in cities, seniors can walk or take public transit, become “carfree” and still continue their lifestyle.

An excellent article about incorporating transportation into retirement planning, When Planning for Retirement, Consider Transportation, appeared recently in the New York Times.

It cites the American Journal of Public Health which states that Americans are outliving their ability to drive, on average 10 years for a woman and seven years for a man, and offers ideas to help incorporate transportation into retirement planning.

Is My Location Walkable?

Seniors who are researching places to move can get a snapshot of shops, services and transit in the neighborhood by checking the Walk Score for an address and measure its walkability.


The higher the Walk Score number on a scale from 0 to 100, the more you are able to walk to shops, services, recreation or connect to transit.

I wanted to try Walk Score so I looked up the walkability of the TransOptions office at 2 Ridgedale Avenue in Cedar Knolls . Our score is 29, on the low side, which means (as I already knew) that most errands require a car.
                                                             
If you scroll down on Walk Score page for the location you’ve entered, you’ll find public transit options including the route numbers for the local NJ TRANSIT buses that stop by our office.  This free site is a great place to start exploring “walkable communities” anywhere in the United States.

Change is a Challenge for most seniors
One of the programs I give at senior groups is called, Retiring from Driving: A Kinder Way to Give Up the Keys.  I address a “tough topic” - the normal, physical decline that happens with aging and how it impacts and limits seniors’ driving ability and safety.

Many seniors have told me that they feel uncomfortable driving at night, on highways, in rush hour traffic and during inclement weather. Most of these seniors are living in the suburbs, in the same home where they’ve lived for 40 years and raised their children.  They’re reluctant to change their residence or their transit routine because they don’t want to give up the keys and lose their independence.

There will come a time when change is inevitable, when the physical responsibilities of suburban homeownership become challenging or even overwhelming including cutting the grass in summer, raking leaves in the fall and shoveling snow in winter.  At this turning point the maintenance, time and cost of keeping upkeep of house make it a burden rather than a joy.

Perhaps then they’ll have to decide if it’s time for a change and at that point, may consider moving from the suburbs to the city.  Some seniors will decide to age in place and find people to assist with home maintenance.  Others will realize that it’s time to explore options that include selling the family home, cashing in on their investment and relocating to an apartment, condo or senior community where someone else handles the maintenance.

Seniors who decide to move to a city or walkable community may not even realize that walking to activities and taking public transit can add years to their lives.  By walking to shops, appointments and services, seniors are stretching their minds as well as their physical beings. Living in a city can even help them live longer. Perhaps they’re on the path be becoming centenarians!

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.

What Employees Want

Written by Anne Adier-Vivino

Is traffic congestion in New Jersey impacting a business's ability to find and keep the talent they desire? For businesses located in the "burbs" of New Jersey, finding and retaining new and upcoming talent could pose more of a challenge as the millennial generation wants to be less reliant on cars and desire a multi-modal transportation system.

A recent study surveyed people aged 18 to 34 across 10 metro regions with varying levels of transit service. From Chicago to Tampa to Los Angeles, young people reported a preference for places that are walkable and transit-friendly. Four in five respondents reported they would like to live in a city where they could get around without a car. And almost three in four said neighborhoods without transit access were less appealing places to live.

Let's face it, getting into, out of and around New Jersey is taking a lot more time due to congested roadways, and with travel times getting longer, the drive to work can be incredibly stressful. With commuters spending more than an entire workweek delayed in traffic every year, getting to work is a leading frustration for employees.

Even in smaller urban areas, commuting is more of a hassle than ever before and as traffic congestion increases, so does its effect on the quality of life, roads and the environment.

Many consider the commute to work as part of their day and after an hour-plus commute, employees are arriving to work overwhelmed and overstressed. This often results in loss of productivity as well as time off due to stress-related illnesses.

Many employees accept this as the reality of their work life, but should they? And will they continue to do so?

The research tells us a resounding NO. The millennial generation, in particular, say that work life balance is of utmost importance and, truthfully, wouldn't we all like more free time in our day to do with as we please, rather than spending it stuck in traffic? There are simple solutions for businesses that can please employees of all generations.

Regardless of the location, employers can continue to attract new talent and retain current talent without offering pricey benefits. Many companies are turning to commute programs, offering employee incentives and solutions that encourage the use of commute alternatives like ridesharing, shuttles, teleworking, bicycle programs and utilizing NJ Transit.

Through these programs, they are successfully attracting and retaining employees. 

When seeking jobs, potential employees who may have otherwise overlooked the suburban location may find that these types of additional options for travel appealing and therefore expand their job searches. Current employees will be appreciative of opportunities that save them time and money. They will also arrive to work less stressed and ready to start their day.

 

Navigating Summer Shore Traffic

Written by Laura Cerutti

New Jersey is known for many things, one of which is the 132 miles of beaches that come alive in the summer months. New Jersey’s beaches, affectionately known as the “Jersey Shore”, attract millions every year from all parts of New Jersey and neighboring states.  With masses flocking to the Jersey Shore, the coastal towns and beach-bound highways can get pretty crowded.

The Jersey Shore has been made famous in many ways, and infamous in countless others. Bruce Springsteen has written songs chronicling life along the Jersey coast, episodes of the famed mob drama, The Sopranos, were filmed at the shore, and MTV made it a national spectacle with a cast of obnoxious 20- and 30-somethings in a wild reality TV show simply titled “Jersey Shore”. For locals, the Jersey Shore is famous in another way, and that’s the “Shore Traffic” it creates on beach-bound highways.

As a summer-long renter in Manasquan and annual week-long vacationer in Long Beach Island, I have spent a lot of my summer sitting in traffic. I can confidently say that the Garden State Parkway and I have developed a serious love-hate-relationship. The Parkway may take me to my beloved shore, but not without paying the price in stop-and-go-traffic that is almost guaranteed on the weekends.

It is no secret that if you are not going to the shore, you should stay away from the Parkway at all costs on summer weekends. Southbound is stop-and-go starting on Fridays in the early afternoon through Saturday afternoon.  On Sundays, the traffic changes direction and northbound backs up when week-long renters and weekenders all make a mass exodus to head back home.

If you are a frequent traveler of the Parkway, you are probably well aware that the roadway divides… two times in a row into express and local lanes between milepost 125 and 104 both north and south bound. This double-whammy division makes drivers first go through either the EZ-Pass express or the regular toll booths to merge again for a brief second to instantly divide again into either the express or local roadways.  These division points cause major confusion and you can often see other drivers trying to cut across three to four lanes using the famous New Jersey driving maneuver, the “Jersey Slide”.

The best thing to do to avoid an accident at the division points is to prepare yourself before the first split at the tolls. Position yourself into the middle lanes of the roadway, that way it is safer for you to merge back again and then quickly go down your preferred path of the express or local.

So what is better? The express or the local? I always recommend taking the local lanes. The express cuts down to two lanes for most of the ride while the local remains a solid three.  If an accident or major delay were to occur, having three lanes to work with is always better than two. But if you find yourself stuck in a standstill on either the express or local to watch cars on the other side zoom by, there is a switch point right before exit 116 (near the PNC Bank Arts Center) where you can go from one roadway to the other.  Don’t be one of those people that drives over the grass median! That’s just asking for a ticket or worse, an accident.

If you want to avoid the Shore Traffic Blues, there are a couple of things you can do. Some options to consider are working out a summer schedule where you can get off work early on Fridays or working from home.  You can also try taking an alternate route to the shore, finding a carpool buddy, or taking the train!

The Parkway may be the most direct route to shore, but it is not the only. State Route 18 is another beach-bound highway that provides access to shore towns like Long Branch, Bradley Beach, and Belmar. Route 18 can be accessed from the Turnpike at Exit 9 (New Brunswick/East Brunswick) or from Route 287 South at Exit 10 (River Road) or Exit 8 (Centennial Ave.). State Route 35 is another highway that hugs the Jersey coastline passing through towns like Point Pleasant and Mantoloking and ending at the entrance of Island Beach State Park. Taking these alternatives may not be the most direct, but they could be useful on summer holiday weekends when the Parkway is overloaded.

One or two carpool buddies would also make the trip easier by reducing the amount of cars on the road. The trip will also will be less draining for the driver if they have someone to ride with. So next time you are heading down, see if any friends, family members, or coworkers are shore-bound that weekend and combine the ride!

And for those who want to avoid driving all together, NJ Transit also offers the Shore Express service. This one-seat weekend and holiday ride has direct trains out of New York City starting at 7:52 AM  and 10:01 AM stopping at Secaucus Junction and Newark Penn Station then to the coastal towns of Red Bank, Long Branch, Asbury Park, Bradley Beach, Belmar, Spring Lake, Manasquan, Point Pleasant Beach and Bay Head. Return trips depart Bay Head at 4:54 pm and 6:54 pm. This express service operates on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays starting on June 28 and continuing through September 1.

Vacationing On Transit

Written by Judy Bortman

Remember the fun of putting on a costume, hiding your identity and being playful, even downright silly. Was the last time that happened on Halloween? Was it recently or when you were a kid? Perhaps you felt that way on your last vacation. I did.

"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone."
-Neale Donald Walsch

A recent getaway had me wondering why vacations bring out that sense of adventure and the confidence to try something new. Escaping from our routines, familiar people and settings sets us free and brings an infusion of Indiana Jones bravado to explore new places, foods, ideas and behaviors. In Australia, I gave in to culinary curiosity and tried kangaroo jerky, hiked up hills to dig for geodes, walked on a rope-bridge adventure ride and navigated a foreign transit system.

Taking public transit on vacation can be an adventure, especially for first-time or infrequent users. Transit systems in metropolitan cities, domestic or foreign, are typically user-friendly and cost-effective. Consider the expense of renting a car, paying for gas and parking. (Many hotels charge a parking fee which is often $40 or more per night.)

Inspired by need and convenience during my vacation, I decided to take the train to a family get-together. I walked about five minutes to a suburban station to catch the train to a nearby city. Just to be on the safe side, I arrived early to ask questions, get a ticket and see where to electronically “touch on” my ticket and ask where to “touch off” upon exiting. Electronic signs and billboards let me know how many minutes until the train would arrive and which track to watch. The train ride gave me a chance to relax, see the sights, and reminded me how relaxing and efficient it can be to take public transit.

Wikihow has tips on using public transit when traveling that include getting or printing a map in advance, searching for local transit stations and selecting a hotel near a station or one with shuttle service.

Walking, where feasible, is also a great way to see local sites. Plus, bike share systems are continuing to pop up in many urban areas. Some cities even have bike tours geared for tourists. Just think, using public transit, walking or biking on vacation can save money and leave more in your get-away budget for seeing sights, dining and new adventures that get you out of your comfort zone.

Your experience with public transit may even carry-over to post-vacation life. Consider commuting by train or bus even a few days a week. Just think how nice it would be to have a less stressful ride to and from work, catch up on reading, prepare for a meeting or just relax. Taking public transit for an outing to New York City and walking to your destination is another way to bring that vacation feeling home.

It’s been said that vacations, even if you never leave home, help you unwind, de-stress and recharge. The time away from your routine is often a time to regroup, gain insights, generate new ideas, build confidence for trying new things and bring renewed energy when you return to “real life.”

Whether you’re exploring a U.S. or foreign city, jumping in the water at the Jersey Shore, taking a long bike ride, visiting an amusement park, gazing at exhibits in a museum or observing life while strolling through a nearby city, take a moment to recharge your battery and, if the Halloween spirit moves you, venture outside your comfort zone. It’s certain to be the reason you return to work with a calmer demeanor and a mellow smile, what my daughter calls “vacation glow.” You can try to savor that feeling for as long as you can, or you can bring part of your vacation home and make transit travel an everyday reality.