Living in Dallas w/o a Car (Fort Worth, Arlington: lease, buses)

[orion1778]

I'm moving to Dallas from the north and have a few questions about public transportation, cycling, and otherwise living in Dallas without a car.

From everything I've heard, traffic is very bad. My question is: how does this affect DART trains and buses? Obviously the trains should be relatively unaffected, but do buses get stuck in bad traffic often? Am I better off taking the bus to work every day or will traffic problems make that difficult as well? I like public transportation because I can read/sleep/get things done during my commute that would be impossible if I drove.

I also enjoy biking when weather permits. Are there many cyclers in Dallas? Are drivers sympathetic to bikes or do they try to run them off the roads? Due Diligence I've done on this topic hasn't turned up much, but it doesn't sound like the city of Dallas has done much to promote bicycles as a form of transportation.

Any Dallas veterans care to comment more on the pros/cons of DART and of cycling in the city? I appreciate it.

[The Texan]

There was actually an article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about that on Sunday.

It's about Fort Worth, not Dallas, but it gives you a general view of living in North Texas without a car.

Here's the link:
http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/375542.html (broken link)

Hope it helps!

[orion1778]

Thanks The Texan,

The article is helpful but not especially encouraging, especially the part at the end where the author talks about getting discriminated against because he did not have a car. I thought I might have a little initial trouble getting respect because of my Midwestern accent... but to disrespect someone because they choose to bicycle rather than drive? That is kind of sad.

Another question... where I come from the public buses have bike racks right on the front of the bus so you can cycle to the stop, take the bike with you on the bus, and the cycle to your final destination. I looked on dart.org and it doesn't look like they offer this service... it says you can actually bring the bike into the bus, but does anyone actually do this? Is it even practical?

If anyone else has any advice, suggestions, anecdotes, etc. I would appreciate it!

[TXTwizter]

In Dallas it will all depend on where you live. I live in Oaklawn and have a car, yet sometimes take the bus, especially downtown. My recommendations are before you sign a lease or even decide on a place to live, work, etc., do some research. The Dallas Area Rapid Transit website is very helpful in planning accordingly.
www.dart.org

It might be a little confusing at first, but once you get the hang of it, its a sence. There are also several maps of the area there so that will make it easier for you. I have been using DART since 1990 when I first moved here and IMO it has improved by leaps and bounds.

Good Luck and Welcome to Dallas!

[orion1778]

JVTX72, thanks for the help. I'm looking at Uptown, specifically near the Cityplace tower. It seems like it would be one of the best places when it comes to access to DART buses and trains.

If anyone else cycles around Dallas I'd like to hear what it is like. Cityplace is about 6.5 miles away from my job, I generally like the flexibility and exercise that comes with biking.

It isn't really an option of having a car or not having a car for me. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to get around without one.

[Spade]

Here's a link from dallasmetropolis on this subject. I'm sure there are more on Dallasmetropolis. But this is a good discussion. You can read through it and see if it helps you to choose a decision. This discussion focuses more on Dallas btw.
http://http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/showthread.php?t=5927 (broken link)

[orion1778]

Thanks Spade, that is an interesting discussion, although I am more concerned about with the DART system right now rather than what it has the potential to become in X years.

I've been reading some posts over at http://startelegram.typepad.com/honkin_mad/ - pretty interesting stuff, especially to see the different places the author was able to get on his bike alone.

Another general question: how flat is the Metroplex? I've heard that part of the country described as "flat as a pancake," any truth to that? If there are many hills it could make cycling around town a much more difficult option.

[ChristieP]

Unfortunately, Dallas and Fort worth are not pedestrian or cyclist-friendly cities. Here, having a car is an assumed part of life, and the cities are not laid out for walking or cycling like they are up north and in the Pacific Northwest.

Employers will often ask if you have "reliable transportation" to get to and from work. Most employers I've worked for don't consider the bus to be reliable as they often break down and leave passengers stranded. Or, if you miss your bus, the next one might not come along for 30 minutes, and you'll be late to work. Managers do not like to hire people who don't have a reliable way to get to and from work. Cabs here are few, and they are expensive.

Yes, the metroplex is pretty flat. The further west and south you get, the more hills.

All that being said, Dallas has a much better transit system than Fort Worth. There are also large pockets of the metroplex, such as Mesquite, Arlington, and Grapevine, that have NO public transit at all.

[TXTwizter]

If your interested in bike trails heres a City of Dallas link that I think you'll find helpful.

http://www.dallascityhall.com/html/h...trail_map.html

[orion1778]

JVTX72, thanks for the map, it looks like there are a few bike routes I maybe be able to use... I'll check them out

ChristieP, thats kind of a downer. It seems unfortunate that employers will discriminate their hiring based on one's mode of transportation... but I already have a job so its really a matter of getting myself to it and getting around town.