America’s 10 Best Cities for Commuting on Public Transit (Atlanta: 2014, house)

[LynnHarris]

"One of the great things about living in New York or San Francisco is that you don’t need to drive to get around. They’re dense cities with good transit systems, so it’s no surprise they take the top two spots in a new ranking of best American cities for commuting without a car. What’s less expected is that third place goes to Los Angeles, a metropolis famed for its traffic-clogged freeways and mocked for its lack of good public transportation.

The report, by Andrew Owen and David Levinson, defines accessibility as “the ease of reaching valued destinations,” in this case jobs. Simply put, it’s an examination of how easy it is for people to get to work.

The authors offer two approaches for improving accessibility. The first is obvious: Offer more and better service that reaches more people. But where jobs and homes are located matters, too. Atlanta has a heavy rail system comparable to those in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, but because its job centers aren’t as concentrated, that service is less useful, and accessibility suffers..."

Full Story: America's 10 Best Cities for Commuting on Public Transit | WIRED

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by LynnHarris

"One of the great things about living in New York or San Francisco is that you don’t need to drive to get around. They’re dense cities with good transit systems, so it’s no surprise they take the top two spots in a new ranking of best American cities for commuting without a car. What’s less expected is that third place goes to Los Angeles, a metropolis famed for its traffic-clogged freeways and mocked for its lack of good public transportation.

The report, by Andrew Owen and David Levinson, defines accessibility as “the ease of reaching valued destinations,” in this case jobs. Simply put, it’s an examination of how easy it is for people to get to work.

The authors offer two approaches for improving accessibility. The first is obvious: Offer more and better service that reaches more people. But where jobs and homes are located matters, too. Atlanta has a heavy rail system comparable to those in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, but because its job centers aren’t as concentrated, that service is less useful, and accessibility suffers..."

Full Story: America's 10 Best Cities for Commuting on Public Transit | WIRED

Anyone who thinks MARTA rail is comparable to CTA clearly has never ridden CTA. The thing that makes MARTA non-comparable is the mere fact that it serves very little of the Atlanta metro, it is not an el train and it doesn't have a separate subway system.

[MattCW]

What does being an el train and not having a separate subway system have to do with anything? Is Miami's Metrorail superior because it's only an el train?

[iNviNciBL3]

Originally Posted by LynnHarris

"One of the great things about living in New York or San Francisco is that you don’t need to drive to get around. They’re dense cities with good transit systems, so it’s no surprise they take the top two spots in a new ranking of best American cities for commuting without a car. What’s less expected is that third place goes to Los Angeles, a metropolis famed for its traffic-clogged freeways and mocked for its lack of good public transportation.

The report, by Andrew Owen and David Levinson, defines accessibility as “the ease of reaching valued destinations,” in this case jobs. Simply put, it’s an examination of how easy it is for people to get to work.

The authors offer two approaches for improving accessibility. The first is obvious: Offer more and better service that reaches more people. But where jobs and homes are located matters, too. Atlanta has a heavy rail system comparable to those in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, but because its job centers aren’t as concentrated, that service is less useful, and accessibility suffers..."

Full Story: America's 10 Best Cities for Commuting on Public Transit | WIRED

What i don't like is how they automatically assume that this is a great thing for everyone.

Many love the comfort and the efficiency of getting around with their personal vehicle than riding a train.

[onemanarmy]

Originally Posted by iNviNciBL3

What i don't like is how they automatically assume that this is a great thing for everyone.

Many love the comfort and the efficiency of getting around with their personal vehicle than riding a train.

Comfort yes, efficiency... a big NO!

[iNviNciBL3]

Originally Posted by onemanarmy

Comfort yes, efficiency... a big NO!

Look at a street map of Atlanta vs a MARTA rail and bus map.

Cars take you more places.

[skbl17]

Originally Posted by iNviNciBL3

Look at a street map of Atlanta vs a MARTA rail and bus map.

Cars take you more places.

In a Sunbelt metro like Atlanta, of course cars can take you more places. This metro area was BUILT on the car; it's practically impossible to get around ~95% of the metro area without one. Part of this city's car-dependent culture may have to do with the era in which this area grew: postwar, cheap automobiles, racial tension, endless land....

Plus, even though cars "can take you more places", I have to agree with onemanarmy that Atlanta's freeway and road system doesn't do that efficiently, especially where everyone lives (north of I-20). The traffic congestion here gets pretty ridiculous very fast.

MARTA's getting more and more efficient, especially during the work week. The sad part is that MARTA rail isn't available in ~97% of the metro area, and the bus system doesn't do much better.

- skbl17

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by iNviNciBL3

What i don't like is how they automatically assume that this is a great thing for everyone.

Many love the comfort and the efficiency of getting around with their personal vehicle than riding a train.

Someone already answered efficiency so I'll answer comfort. Can you read a book while driving? Sleep while driving? Check e-mail while driving? No? Well I can do all of that and more from my seat on the train or bus.

Originally Posted by iNviNciBL3

Look at a street map of Atlanta vs a MARTA rail and bus map.

Cars take you more places.

So you're trying to say the transit isn't as comfortable and efficient where it doesn't exist? Well, you're technically correct. But go from Buckhead to or from Five Points during either rush hour, look out at I-85 and tell me the transit isn't more comfortable and more efficient than being stuck and cooped up in a car that is crawling along in traffic.

[iNviNciBL3]

Originally Posted by MattCW

Someone already answered efficiency so I'll answer comfort. Can you read a book while driving? Sleep while driving? Check e-mail while driving? No? Well I can do all of that and more from my seat on the train or bus.

So you're trying to say the transit isn't as comfortable and efficient where it doesn't exist? Well, you're technically correct.But go from Buckhead to or from Five Points during either rush hour, look out at I-85 and tell me the transit isn't more comfortable and more efficient than being stuck and cooped up in a car that is crawling along in traffic.

That is the point, and there is a reason why it doesnt exist... we've all seen the infamous comparisons of the Atlanta built up area vs the built up area of a place like Paris or some other city, haven't we?

Spoiler

To travel to most places you have to walk from your house to the bus or train stop, hop on the bus or train, and get off and walk to your destination (which is not always by your stop). With a car you can go from your home in Kennesaw, GA to your office in Sandy Springs, GA without even stepping outside. pretty amazing if you ask me.

[Mutiny77]

Oh the horror of actually having to do some walking outside in order to get from point A to point B. And I'm pretty sure that a more sedentary lifestyle and higher obesity rates in the South/Sunbelt have absolutely nothing to do with this supposed convenience.