I fell in love with Ft. Lauderdale last year (Miami: trip , job)

[Lior Arel]

I live in Tampa, but tavelled to Ft. Lauderdale. It reminded me of home (Boston) more than the West Coast. While I would miss the white sand here, that's about it.

One question if anyone can answer it. How's the public transporation? I'm not a suburb guy, so it would be living, working, and playing downtown. Do you think it's doable? I do it in Tampa, so I would think FT. Lauderdale would be better.

Thanks for any help.

[compelled to reply]

The public transportation is positively ATROCIOUS! The bus drivers listen to their iPods while they are driving and you do NOT feel safe riding on one of those buses.

[Wild Style]

^^^

yeah, what he said!

[kevinkagy]

Miami's public transit is a million times better. If you want that big city living, that'd be in Downtown Miami not Fort Lauderdale. Downtown Miami's got a free Metromover train with 3 lines throughout downtown, and a bunch of Metorail stations throughout the city.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

^^^

yeah, what he said!

I'm going to quote from my rant about it on the General US forum. Dade is better but not much better.

I took the Tri-Rail when my car broke down in Kendall to get home, then took the bus back out west to Weston. I thought "Meh, if it only takes an hour or so to drive, how much longer could be it? Two hours? Three hours?". It took five hours, and I dodged the dredges of humanity on the Broward Transit bus until we got further west when all of the robbers, burglars, rapists, sex offenders and other various criminals got off as we got further west and I was suddenly the only one on the bus. The wonderful bus driver was listening to his iPod while he was driving the bus. That's really safe. The train wasn't really that bad, until we got past all of the pretty neighborhoods south of downtown, although I didn't feel totally in danger. Those were the worst five hours I ever had in South FL. Needless to say I got a new car and I'm happy to have roadside assistance, but this place needs to kick the criminals off of the buses and build a serious transit system really bad.

[Wild Style]

compelled and that is why I really really really hate south florida with a passion. EVERY metro area in America needs a first class mass transit system. I don't understand what city officials don't get about this! WE MUST HAVE THIS, especially given rising gas prices (which will be 4 dollars per gallon by spring officials say). I hope I can get a job in NYC before spring comes.

[tallrick]

Public transit is great if you want to make a 20 minute trip take all day! In Miami-Dade county your transit experience is determined by whether or not you can use the metro-rail. Busses that run through wealthy areas are the best- they hardly ever stop. In fact where my parents live bus 56 and Metro-Rail is faster than taking the car and parking! But a bus trip down Flagler can easily take over an hour.

[Wild Style]

tallrick

and that my friend is why I will ALWAYS be a champion of elevated and underground trains

[rogerbacon]

Originally Posted by kevinkagy

Miami's public transit is a million times better.

And that is THE most damning indictment of Ft. Lauderdale's mass transit. Nothing more can be said.

[tallrick]

Of all the things that Miami-Dade does, the transit system is probably their best. Unfortunately it hardly goes anywhere rail wise and because of that loses money. Instead of the port tunnel and baseball stadium project I wish that the money would go for a Miami Beach to the airport extension. Oh I forgot, this is Miami-Dade county where special interests and corruption dictate policies.