Can confirm that this is a problem. I live in cap hill, which is about two miles from work. If I miss the bus, I might as well walk. In practice I just call a lyft, you know, contributing to the problem.
No offense, but have you considered a bicycle? Two miles wouldn't get you sweaty and temperatures are generally mild throughout the winter and summer. Obviously July/August aren't good times to ride in the afternoons. You can buy a lot of bicycle for the cost of a year of daily Lyft rides.
I agree. There are so many people here promoting autodrive cars as a safer alternative to the dangers of driving. But riding a bike to work every day looks more dangerous than skydiving. I haven't met any cyclist who, after a few years commuting to work, hasn't had some sort of serious accident or injury. And not just with cars. A good friend of mine needed stitches after hitting a pedestrian.