Challenge you to help me figure out what to do for this terrible commute!

[jj94auto]

Alright, I live 63 miles away from my job in DC.

I have been taking the train(s) there every day. The cost to commute via train + driving my car to the commuter station is about $400 per month.

The problem is that I have been getting sick on the trains due to exposure to all the people on it.

I get flus that last 2 weeks long on a monthly basis. At this rate, I will certainly get fired before you know it.

To make matters worse, I am an indendent contractor, so I don't get any sick time.

Short of changing jobs or moving closer to DC (just pretend that neither are options for personal reasons), I don't know what to do.

Parking in DC is $12 per day or $240 per month.

Most of my commute is bumper to bumper. (So alot of my trip is 0 mpg). It took me 3 hrs to get home on Friday (which is sort of average).

The only thing I can think of is drastically increasing the fuel efficiency on my car or getting another one for cheap that has more potential for fuel economy.

I can't continue to get the flu once a month because of the dirty folks on the train, and I can't just sit there and sleep at my job when I am running 104 degree fevers.

Any thoughts on how to use a gallon each way???

loooollllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Thanks

Car is in profile!