How is the true cost of driving calculated?

The tool combines two views. The out-of-pocket cost is fuel (miles divided by MPG times gas price) plus monthly parking. The full economic cost instead uses the IRS standard mileage rate per mile, which bundles fuel, depreciation, maintenance, and insurance, plus parking. Showing both makes clear why driving costs more than just gas.

What is the SacRT pass price used here?

Sacramento Regional Transit's standard monthly pass is around $70, and that is the default in the transit field. You can change it to a discounted, student, or RT Connect fare. The tool compares that flat monthly figure directly against your driving cost.

Why use the IRS mileage rate?

Fuel alone understates driving cost. The IRS standard mileage rate, about 67 cents a mile, is a widely used estimate of the total per-mile cost of operating a car including depreciation, maintenance, tires, and insurance. Using it gives a fair comparison against a transit pass that has no hidden wear-and-tear cost.

How many work days per month does it assume?

It multiplies your days per week by about 4.33 weeks per month to get monthly commute days, then doubles your one-way distance for the round trip. You can lower the days per week to model hybrid or part-time schedules, and every figure updates instantly.

Does this include the value of my time?

No. It compares dollar costs only — fuel, depreciation, parking, and the transit pass. Commute time, stress, and reliability matter too but are not priced here. If transit takes longer, weigh that against the dollar savings the tool shows.

Sacramento Commute Cost Calculator

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The Sacramento Commute Cost Calculator reveals what your commute really costs each month by comparing driving against a SacRT transit pass. It is for Sacramento commuters deciding whether to drive, switching to transit, or negotiating a remote-work day. Crucially, it counts more than gas: it adds parking and the IRS standard mileage rate so the full cost of driving — fuel, depreciation, and upkeep — is on the table next to the flat $70-ish monthly pass.

How it works

First the tool totals your monthly miles: one-way distance x 2 x days per week x 4.33 (4.33 is the average weeks per month). Then it prices driving two ways:

Out-of-pocket = (monthly miles / MPG) x gas price + monthly parking.
Full economic = monthly miles x IRS rate + monthly parking, where the IRS standard mileage rate (about $0.67/mile) bundles fuel, depreciation, maintenance, and insurance.

Transit is simply the SacRT monthly pass you enter, defaulting to about $70. The tool then shows the gap so you can see your monthly and annual savings from choosing the cheaper option.

Driving (full cost) = monthly miles × IRS rate + parking, vs a flat transit pass.

Tips and example

Suppose you drive 12 miles each way, 5 days a week, in a car that gets 28 MPG, with gas at $4.80 and parking at $100/month. That is about 520 miles a month. Fuel is roughly $89, so out-of-pocket driving is $189. Using the IRS rate, the full cost is 520 × 0.67 + 100 ≈ $448. A $70 SacRT pass beats both comfortably, saving over $100/month out-of-pocket and far more once depreciation is counted. Drop to a hybrid 3-day week and the numbers shift immediately. Everything runs in your browser, and nothing you enter is uploaded.