Private vs public transport costs, check real savings

It is not just the volatility of the petrol price that is to blame, there is the carbon emissions tax, escalating licensing fees and soon, the activation of a toll system on Gauteng's heavily populated highway system. This strategy is expected to be rolled out across the country placing additional financial strain on motorists.

In addition to financing the improvement and maintenance of these highway systems, government hopes the costs associated with the tolling system will address congestion difficulties and environmental concerns by encouraging greater use of public transport and lift clubs or carpooling.

One of these alternate options is the Gautrain, which plans to put its Pretoria to Johannesburg leg into operation shortly. A high profile advertising campaign currently underway has littered the province with billboards promising an easy and efficient transport system that will significantly reduce the daily commuting time. The high profile train offering is supported by the recently upgraded and expanded public bus system, which makes getting to and from Gautrain stations simpler.

Costing private transport

To assess the cost of private motoring as accurately as possible, be sure to include all the costs involved. These include monthly repayments on the car, insurance premiums, service and maintenance costs, fuel, tyres and day-to-day running costs. This calculation will enable an accurate cost comparison of alternatives such as the Gautrain.

We also suggest you consider one, or a combination of, the following approaches:

• Why not substitute travelling by car everyday with only using your car over weekends or when travelling long distance. This means you could immediately lower your monthly running costs and fuel bills.
  
• Consider if you need the riding comfort of a big or high performance car if you are only going to use the vehicle occasionally rather than on an everyday basis.
  
• If you and your family are changing your commuting habits, it is worth considering whether you need more than one car.

The key is that, regardless of which option you chose, this could mean immediate savings on your car insurance premiums.

To save on insurance, look out for solutions that base their premium on how much and how far you drive, rather than just pooling you with demographically similar consumers. This means that you will only pay more when you drive more and look out for insurance options that also measure driving style as this could mean even further monthly savings.

At the end of the day, there is always a case to be made for public transport, even if you have only the environmental impact as your main consideration.