There’s a reason why so many people learn how to drive – it’s a worthwhile test. Once you’ve passed your test and have bought a car, it feels like you can go practically anywhere. Given the auto’s enduring appeal, it’s unsurprising that it’s the most popular form of transport to work for Brits. A whopping 68% of us were recorded to have driven to our job in 2017 alone. What else is behind this being our favourite commuting option?
Let’s explore here…
Driving remains the fastest option
It may sound like an obvious point – but it’s one worth making. Most often, it takes less time to drive somewhere than it does to arrive by public transport. Take a train or bus to work, and different stops will add to your overall journey time. Because of this, professionals that choose this option typically face longer commuting times than those that drive. And this is before you take delays into account – if your bus is late by 10 minutes or more, it could seriously impact on your journey. While drivers can face traffic delays, they still have the chance to change route: a luxury that isn’t available to public transport users.
More flexibility when it comes to time
As you’ll likely attest yourself, a shift consumes what tends to feel like a big portion of our day already. And as you may have experienced yourself, commuting by public transport can seem to eat up even more of the working day considerably. This is largely because of set bus and train times – and of course, public schedules can’t be personalised to the working individual.
Unlike drivers, public transport users usually have to wake up earlier than they otherwise would – and they may have to stay later at work, too. If professionals need to stay late or arrive early, they might not be able to find an alternative. So, it’s easy to see why so many choose to commute by car.
Various car finance options available
Another reason why cars still dominate the UK work commute is the various finance options that are available for this form of transport. Aside from self-funding, some drivers are entitled to personal loans from banks and other finance providers. This, of course, is usually contingent on their credit score rating; if its healthy, applicants tend to be offered the loan they’ve requested. If you’re not sure what yours looks like, you can access it for free through a CRA (Credit Reference Agency) like Experian. For those whose credit record is slightly low, there are a number of specialist lenders across the UK, many of which focus solely on car finance. Go Car Credit offers financial options for drivers with poor credit ratings, who can prove that they’ll be able to pay the loan back. The different funding options out there could explain why driving remains the popular form of commuting for British professionals.
It’s easy to see why so many people choose to drive to work over taking public transport. With the government promising to cut carbon emissions, is this likely to continue? Only time will tell…