Commuter Profile
Name: Nick Morris
Works at: Commerce Bank
Lives in: Kansas City, North
Commutes to: Downtown Kansas City
Commute mode: Metro bus and bicycle
His story: As much as Nick Morris loves his quad cam Dodge Ram pickup, he chooses not to drive it to work. Instead, Morris uses his monthly bus pass to hop on the I-29 Express to go downtown. And, particularly in the spring and fall months, he adds a fitness component to his commute by riding his bicycle to the bus stop, loading it on the bus bike rack, and riding in to work once he gets downtown.
Why he uses transit and bicycles: What motivates Morris to use an alternative commute mode? Quite simply, he wants to do the right thing for himself, his kids and his truck.
At 42, Morris says he realizes the importance of regular exercise and not taking physical fitness for granted. Besides that, he wants to set a good example for his two children, ages 7 and 3. “I’m trying to stay young for my kids,” he says.
Morris works as a risk analyst for Commerce Bank and says that, economically, it makes more sense for him not to drive his pickup truck to work. If he did drive, he says he would spend about $135 a month just on gas. Now, he pays $24.50 a month for his bus pass, and Commerce Bank pays for the rest. Because he puts fewer miles on his truck, he figures he has to spend less to maintain it.
Advice for prospective transit users: When he first started looking into bus service, Morris said he did the usual internet research for bus routes and schedules. But to really master the system, Morris says he had to “just get on the bus. The people who ride the bus will tell you everything you need to know.” For example, by chatting with regulars, Morris found out about a much more convenient spot for him to catch the bus — a place that was not mentioned on the bus schedule.
Morris encourages those who are unfamiliar with the bus system to talk to coworkers who already take the bus. Then, just do it. “Try it for a day, try it for a week,” he says. “You actually have to physically get on the bus to see if it works for you.”