Which Texas city has the best public transportation? (Houston, Dallas: university, tax)

[dollaztx]

Originally Posted by HtownLove

for a smaller metro to have more riders says a lot.

And its not only Dallas that is improving their rail. Houston is doubling, trippling and and quadrupling their rail, increasing their park and ride system and adding more rapid routes.

SO Houston system is better and getting more so.

Rail is a better investment that is why we are investing in more rail, and not just adding miles like Dallas did, but carefully thought out routes.

Dude, you are so biased towards Houston. Houston can't be tops in everything. I wouldn't dare try to make a case that Dallas is tops in oil and energy because it obviously isn't. Dallas is tops in public transportation in Texas, period. More options of transit = lower ridership for each transit option. I'm sure Houston is investing tons in rail but Dallas and company are also. And the options will only get better as the trolley network gets built.

[HtownLove]

Originally Posted by dollaztx

Dude, you are so biased towards Houston. Houston can't be tops in everything. I wouldn't dare try to make a case that Dallas is tops in oil and energy because it obviously isn't. Dallas is tops in public transportation in Texas, period. More options of transit = lower ridership for each transit option. I'm sure Houston is investing tons in rail but Dallas and company are also. And the options will only get better as the trolley network gets built.

You can think Dallas is tops in PT the number of riders and ridership per mile tells a different story.

and FYI Houston is the one with more options. don't know what la la land you are living in.

with Rail, Bus, Park and Ride, Express Service, Rapid Route, and other options we definitely trump y'all in options.

You are sitting there calling people bias and I am sure your butt hasn't been on PT around the State. I at least know have been on them in the bigger cities. You sit on your computer and say "lets see which one is longer" get on the darn thing before make judgments.

[ClarenceBodiker]

Originally Posted by HtownLove

You can think Dallas is tops in PT the number of riders and ridership per mile tells a different story.

and FYI Houston is the one with more options. don't know what la la land you are living in.

with Rail, Bus, Park and Ride, Express Service, Rapid Route, and other options we definitely trump y'all in options.

You are sitting there calling people bias and I am sure your butt hasn't been on PT around the State. I at least know have been on them in the bigger cities. You sit on your computer and say "lets see which one is longer" get on the darn thing before make judgments.

You are a broken record of confusion and misinformation, my friend.

[HtownLove]

Originally Posted by ClarenceBodiker

You are a broken record of confusion and misinformation, my friend.

omg, you read my mind. I was just think that about you guys. Everytime you hear PT you jump on your miles of rail to nowhere.

get a clue and compare the systems in depth OBJECTIVELY.

[nakold23]

Dallas is tops in public transport.
"Trump yall in options"

No. What you are displaying here are basically just a variety of different ways your buses travel. Express, Park and Ride, Rapid Route are just different names for the things your buses do and arent anything to brag about. DART has options like these, as does nearly EVERY transit organization in the country. These are all bus options except for "rail" and you only have 7.5 miles of track so that doesnt bring many options

Although I know you will retaliate with some statistic about ridership, DART rail simply brings you to 10x more places than Houston's does. If you actually ride the system Im sure you would be pleasantly surprised. Its VERY crowded and brings you to a lot of the best Dallas has to offer. I am in total agreement: I would love to see cross town routes, but the places you can go on DART are much more extensive than I even thought. Dallas is still like 15 years ahead of Houston in rail and still pushing forward so good luck catching up

[DarkWolf]

When it comes to Ridership and Smart Growth , the next 2 extensions in Houston will push it ahead of DART. In Houston they did the LRT right and rammed it down the busy corridors , in Dallas they did it wrong and built it on the outskirts. There really isn't a push for Smart growth in Dallas , nor is it occurring , the same can't be said for Houston which is surprisingly doing well. So from a Northeastern Viewpoint Houston is the clear winner. Although if the Dallas - Fort Worth area were to get serious with Smart Growth and TOD , then Dallas would be the winner and possibly have higher ridership then MARTA.

[dv1033]

Originally Posted by ClarenceBodiker

There is GOOD reason for that. That's because rail >>>>>>>> buses 100% of the time. 100% of the time. Nobody in the world would take a bus if a rail option was available,

Obviously, you have never really used much transit. The percentage of people who live and work near rail is small comparatively. Therefore, most people have to take a bus, walk, bike, or drive and those buses play a vital part of a transit system. Just google NYC metro's bus usage. So yes, in terms of "comfort" rail is greater, but without buses, rail can't succeed. So what's your point?

and there is a lot of track laid down already in Dallas and it's continuting to get larger. Houston's bus system might be more comprehensive than Dallas's right now, but it's Dallas's combination of a rail system and buses which makes it the frontrunner in this debate. Rail is the past, present, and future, and Dallas is 15 years ahead of Houston. Even still, Dallas has plenty of buses that serves the entire city and its suburbs who voted to be members of DART. It's not like Dallas has only rail and nothing else.

Well if DART was expanding in a balanced manner than it wouldn't be a problem. Essentially DART rail is becoming a park&ride rail system. It's not just the lack of buses in the suburbs, it lacks density (population and employment) being served. DART rail doesn't adequately cover this. What percentage of the people work where you have access to a DART station by any means besides automobile? Furthermore, the fact that DFW doesn't having the zoning or ordinances (minimum parking requirements) that favors density (much like Houston) to mold transit usage.

As to the future, who knows. In this economy, DART's future plans may be irrelevant, not to mention are too rail heavy. METRO has the feds on the hook for ~900 million that is currently being used on the rail under construction, but that doesn't cover the two other lines, i.e. most important lines.

To the OP, Houston and DFW share the top. Statistically as percentage of people who use mass transit they are nearly identical in both being pretty pathetic.

[dv1033]

Originally Posted by nakold23

Dallas is tops in public transport.
"Trump yall in options"

No. What you are displaying here are basically just a variety of different ways your buses travel. Express, Park and Ride, Rapid Route are just different names for the things your buses do and arent anything to brag about. DART has options like these, as does nearly EVERY transit organization in the country. These are all bus options except for "rail" and you only have 7.5 miles of track so that doesnt bring many options

Although I know you will retaliate with some statistic about ridership, DART rail simply brings you to 10x more places than Houston's does. If you actually ride the system Im sure you would be pleasantly surprised. Its VERY crowded and brings you to a lot of the best Dallas has to offer. I am in total agreement: I would love to see cross town routes, but the places you can go on DART are much more extensive than I even thought. Dallas is still like 15 years ahead of Houston in rail and still pushing forward so good luck catching up

Yes don't let facts or objectiveness cloud your judgement. Houston's plans are actually pretty good especially since it plans to build 65 rail stations in it's denser residential areas with the densest employment centers. These stations would be connected to the slowly expanding Park&Ride system that would reach the suburbs and connected to the overall bus system. Houston already has an effective grade separated HOV network that feeds buses and carpoolers (and those that break the law) into the core from every major radial highway. Houston downtown has ~37% of the work commute by transit and the Medical Center is 28%. Uptown and Greenway Plaza around 7% and 5%, which could certainly benefit from rail service. Naturally, focusing on the rail in the core is the next move.

Check out this informative pdf about Houston transit and growth: Houston Tomorrow

[HtownLove]

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

When it comes to Ridership and Smart Growth , the next 2 extensions in Houston will push it ahead of DART. In Houston they did the LRT right and rammed it down the busy corridors , in Dallas they did it wrong and built it on the outskirts. There really isn't a push for Smart growth in Dallas , nor is it occurring , the same can't be said for Houston which is surprisingly doing well. So from a Northeastern Viewpoint Houston is the clear winner. Although if the Dallas - Fort Worth area were to get serious with Smart Growth and TOD , then Dallas would be the winner and possibly have higher ridership then MARTA.

yeah these Dallas posters are in LA LA land. They think if we were to build rail out to the empty farmland counties, our rail would improve just because it is longer??? BS. Those DAllas posters know they didn't go the right route on posters and keep going with the longer route.

Longer isn't always better, it is how it is used.

Originally Posted by dv1033

Yes don't let facts or objectiveness cloud your judgement. Houston's plans are actually pretty good especially since it plans to build 65 rail stations in it's denser residential areas with the densest employment centers. These stations would be connected to the slowly expanding Park&Ride system that would reach the suburbs and connected to the overall bus system. Houston already has an effective grade separated HOV network that feeds buses and carpoolers (and those that break the law) into the core from every major radial highway. Houston downtown has ~37% of the work commute by transit and the Medical Center is 28%. Uptown and Greenway Plaza around 7% and 5%, which could certainly benefit from rail service. Naturally, focusing on the rail in the core is the next move.

Check out this informative pdf about Houston transit and growth: Houston Tomorrow

The Dallas people will come back and say how long their inefficient rail is

[hamiltonpl]

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

When it comes to Ridership and Smart Growth , the next 2 extensions in Houston will push it ahead of DART. In Houston they did the LRT right and rammed it down the busy corridors , in Dallas they did it wrong and built it on the outskirts. There really isn't a push for Smart growth in Dallas , nor is it occurring , the same can't be said for Houston which is surprisingly doing well. So from a Northeastern Viewpoint Houston is the clear winner. Although if the Dallas - Fort Worth area were to get serious with Smart Growth and TOD , then Dallas would be the winner and possibly have higher ridership then MARTA.

I don't think you've been paying attention. There have been nearly $3 billion in TOD projects in Dallas. Three billion dollars is "not occurring?"

I'll keep the Jersey jokes to myself.