With the ever-rising fuel prices, not to mention high auto-insurance and vehicle maintenance costs, commuting for the modern man has become exorbitant. Travel costs in most homes, take almost half of the monthly budget resulting in people opting for various alternatives to get to work.

Money is a key factor in looking for cheaper commuting options, however, there are plenty of other reasons such as an individual’s safety to and from work, time and ease of the journey.

They say ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ and true to this old adage; people have devised various ways to curb the problems that hinder modern-day commuting. Some of these ways are highlighted as below;

Many people have had to move houses as soon as they land a new job or they sense some permanency in their workplaces.

This may be a useful cut on commuting expenses and the time spent to get to and from work. It’s no wonder you find areas near metropolitan cities and industrial areas highly populated with employed people.

Many companies and organizations have become aware of the financial constraints facing their employees due to the constant rise of fuel and commuting costs.

To ease these constraints, the companies have made the working hours very flexible and some even allow their employees to work in the comfort of their homes.

Carpooling is where a group of individuals choose to commute in one car as opposed to each driving to work with different vehicles. Co-workers and friends traveling in the same direction can choose to carpool to work.

This will save them money collectively and make the journey fun and delightful. Carpooling also allows family and friends to socialize and bond over the journey.

Biking to work or even school is a trend that is quickly catching on. A fine example of this is the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, who is often photographed by paparazzi on his bike commuting to work.

Health experts and environmental enthusiasts advocate the use of bikes to work as opposed to cars for a myriad of obvious reasons. The top 5 benefits of biking to work are detailed as follows;

• SAVE MONEY

Biking to work will definitely save you money which would otherwise be used for gas, insurance, maintenance, and car payments and parking fees. With a bike, the cost incurred is only on bike purchases and minor repairs and maintenance.

The choice of bike will depend on an individual's budget and personal style but the bikes don’t need to break the bank for the commuter. The men’s city bikes on Bikester are a popular brand for many commuters who choose them over the other brands for their durability and unique designs. 

•  FULL BODY WORK-OUT

Our bustling careers filled with tight work deadlines leave no room for any form of exercise. Biking to work will be like killing two birds with one stone; you get to work on time and have some exercise done.

Biking improves the cardio-vascular systems, lowers one’s blood pressure, tones the muscles,  improves coordination and keeps away chronic diseases.

• IT’S CONVENIENT

Biking to work is very simple and convenient for everyone. You don’t have to spend hours on end stuck in traffic and more time looking for parking spots in the city.

A biker will just estimate the amount of time they need to get to work and leave the house at that particular time without worrying about getting stuck in traffic and being late. Biking bags are readily available for those that bike to work to store all their necessities safely.

• ENJOY THE FRESH AIR

Commuting to and from work in cars present a barrage of challenges to commuters. Traffic jams, stuffy and congested public transportation, narrow roads, roadblocks, accidents just to name a few, are some of the problems that arise on our roads.

Biking to work will bring you joy and peace as you don't have to worry about any of the above mentioned. All there is plenty of fresh air, beautiful scenery of the city and a smooth journey to work.

• INCREASE CREATIVITY

Biking to work is exhilarating and fun, to say the least. It allows one to enjoy the simple pleasures of life such as breathing clean air, listening to the birds chirping all the while checking out our amazing city.

Being stuck inside a car blocks us from seeing the developments that happen in the city. Biking to work can make one smarter and creative. This is because it requires one to be agile and focused on the road as you maneuver the streets to work. It opens up any mental blocks and lets the creative juices flow in the body.