Several people have asked what motivated us to write a book about
commut- ing, something that we all do but over which we have very little
control. As a matter of fact, the general reaction from professional
colleagues and friends alike was first a sort of knowing smile followed
by some story. Everyone has a story about a personal commuting
experience. Whether it was a problem with a delayed bus, a late arrival,
broken-down automobiles, hot trains or subways, during the past year we
have heard it all. Many of these stories must be apocryphal because, if
they were all true, it is amazing that anyone ever arrived at work on
time, at home, or at some other destination. The interest for us likely
stems from many factors that over the years have probably influenced our
thinking. All of the authors studied and/or grew up in the New York City
metropolitan area. For illustration, let's devote a few paragraphs to
describing some of the senior author's (Koslowsky's) life experiences.
As a young man in New York City, he was a constant user of the New York
City subway system. The whole network was and still is quite impressive.
For a relatively small sum, one can spend the whole day and night in an
underground world (growing up in New York often makes one think that the
whole world is contained in its five boroughs).