$40/day on mass transit is not unusual either. If I commuted into the nearest major city (and, yes, it would involve a short drive and cheap parking( that's about what I would be.
Certainly costs have gone up. But, throw in commuter rail as opposed to just subway (and maybe some parking) and round-trip costs can easily be more than just a few dollars.
I have no idea how much those things cost because I was taking the subway for $2.50 cents a day. I'm sure people could pay more to get to work but my pay scale didn't provide me many options.
I'm happy to say I wasn't privileged but fortunate if that satisfies you.
