Whether you are getting on the T, taking the bus, driving your car or using your own two feet, getting to work in the morning, for most, can become a boring routine. But in a recent study, researchers discovered that maybe not all modes of transport are created equal.
Researchers at McGill University in Montreal found, in a study called, “The happy commuter: A comparison of commuter satisfaction across modes,’’ that:
“Pedestrians, train commuters and cyclists are significantly more satisfied than drivers, metro and bus users. We also establish that determinants of satisfaction vary considerably by mode, with modes that are more affected by external factors generally displaying lower levels of satisfaction.’’
According to CityLab, McGill researchers “asked nearly 3,400 people who commuted to campus on a single mode to describe their typical trip in both winter and summer, and to rate their satisfaction with various aspects of that trip. The researchers then converted the ratings into a single satisfaction score for each of six commute modes.’’
CityLab then charted the results:
“Here are the raw (rounded) percentages: pedestrians (85 percent), train commuters (84 percent), cyclists (82 percent), drivers (77 percent), metro riders (76 percent), and bus riders (75.5 percent).’’
The study said that “Active modes and train show significantly higher satisfaction than car, bus, metro.’’
Would this data be the same for Boston?