WHAT A WAY TO GO

The New York Times did a feature today on the growing popularity of train service to the airport. I am a HUGE proponent of public transport and have used the services referenced in the article and couldn't have agreed more. While some might argue about convenience (there is something to be said about cabbing straight from your apartment to the airport), rail service is more environmentally friendly and MUCH less expensive and, in many cases, faster than traditional Cabs.

I once timed myself from the corner of Hudson and Barrow Streets (West Village) in New York City to JFK, where I was to board my VirginAmerica flight to San Francisco. I used a yellow cab, then Long Island Railroad train service to the AirTrain platform for a total travel time of, I kid you not, 28 minutes. By the way, my flight took off on time and had an early landing at SFO. I love VirginAmerica Airlines.

Now I admit, this was an unusually seamless journey. The cab just happened to be right there when I hailed it. We hit nearly ALL the green lights (and if anyone has ever taken a New York City cab, you know when your cabbie is weaving in and out of the traffic and using the horn, you've got someone who knows what he's doing--tip him well). Then, the LIRR train I would need just happened to be boarding when I got there and it was an express (first stop, Jamaica Queens, transfer point for the JFK AirTrain). I made my way up to the AirTrain platform just as it was beginning it's boarding process and returning to JFK.

At the end of the day, however, it doesn't matter whether or not it was unusually seamless. A cab would have taken twice as long and been, at least, four times as expensive (LIRR ticket was $5, AirTrain was also $5. Cab fare from Hudson and Barrow was roughly $7, including tip). Total cost of this trip, $17. Had I taken a cab all the way to JFK from the West Village, the fare would have, including tolls and tip, brought the total to, roughly, $60 to $70.

Not only is that just simple economics, but the positive effect on the environment is priceless.