Temecula to Corona Morning Commute: Park & Ride, RTA CommuterLink Bus Route 206 and Corona Cruiser

Is living in Temecula really worth the commute? Here's a full early morning multi-modal, 42 mile commute rush hour trip starting from Temecula Parkway in south Temecula at about 5:45am to a business park in southeast Corona. Goal is to get to the employer's door before 8am.

The trip starts with a drive to a Park & Ride stop in Murrieta, an express bus ride aboard Riverside Transit Agency CommuterLink bus Route 206 to the North Main Corona Metrolink Station with a shuttle ride aboard the school-tripper run of the Corona Cruiser Red Line into the job hub.

Arrival is just before 7:30am, perfect for workers starting shifts at 7:45am or 8am. Initial drawback is the excessive travel time with the layovers but that can be offset by doing productive activities along the way. A major draw is big commuter cost savings.

Stats:

Total door-to-door trip time each way: about 1hr 45 mins including about 20-25 minutes in transfer layovers
Drive Alone Time each way between Temecula & Park 'n Ride: 12 mins am, 18-20 mins pm
Transit Productivity Time Gained Each Way: About 1hr 25 mins (mobile telecommuting, socializing, listen to music, read the paper, read a book, snack on some wrapped breakfast during layover, or--my favorite--get a power nap in)
Read more: http://ttcinlandempire.blogspot.com/2...

Total Miles: 42mi
Total Driving Miles Roundtrip: 19mi
Total roundtrip transit fare: $8.50 ($7 RTA CommuterLink day pass + $1.50 Corona Cruiser Return trip to Transit Center)
Total roundtrip driving costs to/from Park & Ride: $8.82 (24mi x AAA $46.4 per mile for small sedan)
Total roundtrip trip cost: $17.32
Total roundtrip driving costs if driven alone all the way: $38.98 (84mi x AAA $46.4 per mile for small sedan)

Transit cost savings per roundtrip: $21.66