Chuck Naill
My commute is five+ miles each way, daily cost after initial investment is near zero. Time is 30 minutes each way.
The bus is $4 per day, Each trip takes 30 to 55 minutes, depending. Often the return trip can take more than an hour.
Commuting saves me $20 a week. My bike cost me $600. Thirty weeks of commuting paid for it. I haven't calculated time savings, but it's substantial. The bike paid for itself very quickly, there are the undeniable health benefits of riding, and my commute is not the only use my bike gets.
Bottom line is that my biking is much more than free at this point, in money, time, AND health.