Category: Transportation
Choosing the Best Way to Get Somewhere
There is often more than one way to reach a destination. You may be able to walk, ride a bicycle, take public transportation, request a taxi or rideshare, get a ride from someone you know, or drive yourself.
The best choice depends on more than which option is fastest. Cost, safety, reliability, accessibility, weather, distance, and what you need to bring can all affect your decision.
Learning how to compare your options can help you make practical choices, prepare for problems, and travel with greater confidence.
Start With the Trip
Before deciding how to travel, gather the basic information about your trip.
Write down:
- Where you are going
- The complete address
- The date of the trip
- When you need to arrive
- How long you expect to stay
- Whether you need transportation home
- Whether you are traveling alone
- What you need to bring
- Whether you need to make additional stops
Do not assume that the entrance is located exactly where a map places the address. Large buildings, medical offices, campuses, shopping centers, and apartment complexes may have several entrances.
If necessary, call ahead and ask where you should enter, park, or wait.
Identify Your Available Options
Think about every reasonable way you could make the trip.
Your options may include:
- Walking
- Riding a bicycle
- Taking a bus
- Taking a train or subway
- Using paratransit
- Scheduling medical transportation
- Calling a taxi
- Requesting a rideshare
- Getting a ride from a friend or family member
- Carpooling
- Driving your own vehicle
- Combining two or more options
Not every option will be available for every trip. Start by eliminating choices that do not operate in your area, do not fit your needs, or cannot get you there on time.
Consider the Distance
Distance can help narrow your choices.
For a Short Trip
You may be able to:
- Walk
- Ride a bicycle
- Use a local shuttle
- Take a short taxi or rideshare trip
- Get a ride from someone nearby
For a Longer Trip
You may need to:
- Use a bus or train
- Drive
- Arrange a carpool
- Schedule paratransit
- Combine several forms of transportation
- Ask someone for a ride
Do not judge distance only by how close two places look on a map. Roads, highways, bridges, hills, limited sidewalks, and building entrances may make the actual trip longer or more difficult.
Consider When You Need to Arrive
Some trips have flexible arrival times. Others do not.
You may need to be especially careful when traveling to:
- Work
- School
- Medical appointments
- Interviews
- Court appearances
- Flights or trains
- Scheduled activities
- Events with fixed starting times
Work backward from your required arrival time.
Include time for:
- Walking to transportation
- Waiting
- Transfers
- Traffic
- Parking
- Finding the entrance
- Checking in
- Possible delays
For an unfamiliar or important trip, choose an option that gives you extra time.
Compare the Complete Cost
The cost of a trip may include more than the initial fare.
Possible expenses include:
- Bus or train fare
- Rideshare or taxi fare
- Tips
- Gas or electricity
- Tolls
- Parking
- Bicycle rental
- Fare-card fees
- Additional stops
- Increased rideshare prices
- Return transportation
If someone you know is driving, ask whether you should contribute toward gas, tolls, or parking.
The least expensive option may take longer, require more walking, or be less available. The fastest option may cost more. Decide which factors matter most for that particular trip.
Think About Reliability
Ask how likely each option is to work as planned.
Consider:
- How frequently the bus or train runs
- Whether the service is usually on time
- Whether a reservation is confirmed
- Whether a driver could cancel
- Whether the vehicle is reliable
- Whether traffic is usually heavy
- Whether weather could interrupt the trip
- Whether the service operates at the time you need it
- Whether you have another way home
For a trip you cannot miss, avoid depending on an option with only one departure time unless you have a strong backup plan.
Check the Weather
Weather can change which transportation option is safest or most comfortable.
Before leaving, check for:
- Rain
- Snow
- Ice
- High winds
- Extreme heat
- Extreme cold
- Flooding
- Poor visibility
- Severe-weather alerts
Walking or bicycling may be reasonable in comfortable weather but unsafe during a storm. Public transportation may be affected by snow or flooding. Driving may become more difficult when roads are icy or visibility is poor.
Choose an option that matches both the current conditions and the forecast for your return trip.
Consider Your Safety
Ask:
- Is the route familiar?
- Are sidewalks and crossings available?
- Will I be traveling after dark?
- Will I need to wait alone?
- Is the pickup location safe?
- Is the area well lit?
- Will my phone have service?
- Can someone track or check on my trip?
- Do I know what to do if the plan changes?
A cheaper or faster option is not the best choice if it makes you feel unsafe.
Trust your judgment. If something feels wrong, move to a safer location and contact someone you trust.
Consider Your Accessibility and Support Needs
Think about what you need to complete the trip comfortably and safely.
You may need:
- Step-free access
- Space for a wheelchair, walker, or mobility device
- A seat
- Help boarding or exiting
- Extra time
- Visual or audio announcements
- A service animal
- A personal-care attendant
- Door-to-door service
- Help carrying items
- A driver who can wait while you enter safely
Do not assume every vehicle, station, or entrance is accessible. Contact the transportation provider or destination ahead of time if you are unsure.
Think About What You Need to Carry
The best transportation option may change depending on what you are bringing home.
Consider whether you will have:
- Groceries
- Laundry
- Luggage
- Medical equipment
- A bicycle
- Packages
- School or work supplies
- A stroller
- A mobility device
- Fragile or valuable items
Walking or using several transfers may be difficult with heavy bags. A rideshare, taxi, delivery service, or ride from someone you know may be more practical.
Plan for what you will carry on the return trip, not just what you have when leaving home.
Consider Your Energy and Comfort
Transportation requires physical and mental effort.
Think about:
- How far you can comfortably walk
- Whether you can stand while waiting
- Whether stairs are difficult
- Whether crowds are stressful
- Whether you become tired later in the day
- Whether you need access to a restroom
- Whether noise or unfamiliar surroundings are challenging
- Whether you will feel comfortable traveling alone
It is okay to choose an option that provides more support or costs a little more when it makes the trip safer and more manageable.
Decide Whether You Need Flexibility
Some transportation options follow a fixed schedule. Others allow you to leave when you are ready.
You may need flexibility if:
- You do not know when an appointment will end.
- Your work schedule changes.
- You may need to leave early.
- You are traveling with children.
- Your energy or health needs can change.
- You need to make several stops.
- You are unsure how long an activity will take.
If your return time is uncertain, check whether you can request transportation when needed or change a reservation without a fee.
Compare Privacy and Independence
Different options provide different levels of privacy and control.
Driving may allow you to choose your own schedule and route. Public transportation may be less expensive but require you to travel near other passengers. Getting a ride from someone you know may be comfortable but depend on that person’s availability.
The best option is the one that meets your needs—not necessarily the option someone else prefers.
Using transportation independently can include asking for help, scheduling a ride, using an accessibility service, or traveling with a support person.
Use a Simple Decision Process
When you have several choices, use these steps:
- Confirm the destination and arrival time.
- List the available transportation options.
- Remove any option that cannot meet your safety or accessibility needs.
- Compare the total cost.
- Compare travel and waiting time.
- Check schedules and availability.
- Review the weather.
- Think about what you need to carry.
- Choose the option that works best overall.
- Create a backup plan.
You do not need to choose the cheapest or fastest option every time.
Match the Option to the Situation
A Nearby Store
You might walk if the weather is comfortable and you are buying only a few items.
You might choose a ride if you expect to carry heavy groceries.
A Medical Appointment
You may choose a reliable ride, paratransit, medical transportation, or an earlier bus so you have enough time to check in.
You should also plan for the possibility that the appointment may end later than expected.
Work or School
A regular bus, train, carpool, bicycle route, or personal vehicle may work well because the trip happens repeatedly.
Reliability and cost will be especially important.
An Evening Event
A bus may take you there, but service may stop before the event ends. You may need a rideshare, taxi, or ride from someone you know for the return trip.
An Unfamiliar Destination
You may prefer a direct ride the first time. After learning the area, you may feel comfortable using public transportation or another less expensive option.
Combine Options When Helpful
You may not need to use one type of transportation for the entire trip.
For example, you could:
- Walk to a bus stop and take a bus.
- Drive to a train station.
- Take public transportation to an appointment and request a rideshare home.
- Bicycle to work and take a bus if the weather changes.
- Get a ride to an event and use a taxi afterward.
When combining transportation methods, make sure you understand each part of the trip and allow enough time for connections.
Create a Backup Plan
Even a good transportation plan can change.
Your backup plan might include:
- Taking an earlier or later bus
- Calling a taxi
- Requesting a rideshare
- Contacting a family member or friend
- Using a different route
- Rescheduling a non-urgent appointment
- Waiting in a safe location
- Calling the destination to explain that you are delayed
Save important addresses and phone numbers before leaving.
Make sure you have enough money or another payment method for an unexpected change.
Ask for Help When You Need It
You may need help:
- Comparing routes
- Reading a schedule
- Making a reservation
- Applying for transportation services
- Practicing an unfamiliar trip
- Learning to use a transportation app
- Finding an accessible option
- Deciding whether a route is safe
Ask a trusted person, transportation employee, care coordinator, school, employer, medical office, or community organization.
Getting help with planning is part of becoming a more confident traveler.
Review the Trip Afterwards
After completing a trip, ask:
- Did I arrive on time?
- Was the cost what I expected?
- Did I feel safe?
- Was the route manageable?
- Did I have enough time?
- Was the transportation reliable?
- Did I have trouble finding the entrance?
- Would I use the same option again?
- What should I change next time?
Each trip teaches you something that can make future travel easier.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the best way to get somewhere means looking at the entire trip—not just the distance or price.
Consider your arrival time, safety, cost, accessibility needs, weather, comfort, and return plan. For important trips, leave extra time and have a backup option ready.
The more often you compare your choices and complete trips successfully, the easier it will become to choose transportation with confidence.
