Quite possibly relocating to Texas: which city has better public transport? (Houston: apartment, for rent)

[lepoisson]

Originally Posted by Gunion Powder

And I think you don't know nearly enough Texans. But where exactly in this country outside of the densest cities do you have a substantial number of people choosing to live without a car?.....

What it comes down to is the FACT that it can be done and people are doing it. Uber/Lyft have made it easier than ever.

If the OP wishes to cover the most ground, no other urban area in Texas can compare to DFW's commuter rail system. But intown transit is priority, San Antonio is tops, followed by Houston.

The necessity of having a car isn't a Texas thing, it's a US thing. The only thing I will say is that for being some of the biggest cities in the country, Houston and Dallas really should have better public transit.

It's fairly easy to live in small towns without a car because everything is so close together. The only problem is leaving town, if you need to. I taught high school in a small town in Missouri and most of my older students just walked to school or rode their bikes.

I don't think ridesharing is a viable alternative to "I don't have the money for a car". If someone doesn't have the money for a car, they likely don't have $10 to spend one way going to the store. Ridesharing is best for tourists or people who choose not to own a car.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by lepoisson

The necessity of having a car isn't a Texas thing, it's a US thing. The only thing I will say is that for being some of the biggest cities in the country, Houston and Dallas really should have better public transit.

It's fairly easy to live in small towns without a car because everything is so close together. The only problem is leaving town, if you need to. I taught high school in a small town in Missouri and most of my older students just walked to school or rode their bikes.

I don't think ridesharing is a viable alternative to "I don't have the money for a car". If someone doesn't have the money for a car, they likely don't have $10 to spend one way going to the store. Ridesharing is best for tourists or people who choose not to own a car.

I didn't think I was saying it was an alternative, but it can definitely complement a "carless" lifestyle in which someone is using PT or a bike as their primary mode of transportation, and that's exactly how some are using it.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by Arkay66

You've just eliminated 95% of the USA. England (79th in geographic size) is fairly easy for a robust PT system. The USA (4th in geographic size) is not.

I second the recommendation to move to Chicago, if you absolutely refuse to learn to drive and buy/lease a car. Chicago is affordable and has a strong PT system. Just be very careful which neighborhood you choose.

Second on that list would be Denver. But really, if you intend to live long-term in the US, you do need to learn to drive and get a license. Then you can at least rent a car when you need one.

The OP might have to consider NYC. S.F. is another contender for consideration. MUNI is pretty good within the city-county and BART is very good up to the suburban train station for reverse trips.

Being dependent on public transport in the U.S. will limit your shopping errands to within the city core, where stores charge higher prices than their suburban big box locations. For example, shopping in the tourist district surrounding Chicago's Loop and Near North Side incurs a 10% sales tax, not including any sin taxes. Buying stuff in Manhattan is very expensive as if it felt like a convenience. And good luck hauling items back to S.F. on bart from Ikea in Emeryville (across the bay and adjacent to Oakland).

Coming the UK, adjusting to driving to the right side of the road is tricky but possible. But since you don't have any driving experience, it might not be too much of an issue. I think you managed the transition entering the bus on the starboard side instead of the port side already.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Being dependent on public transport in the U.S. will limit your shopping errands to within the city core, where stores charge higher prices than their suburban big box locations. For example, shopping in the tourist district surrounding Chicago's Loop and Near North Side incurs a 10% sales tax, not including any sin taxes. Buying stuff in Manhattan is very expensive as if it felt like a convenience. And good luck hauling items back to S.F. on bart from Ikea in Emeryville (across the bay and adjacent to Oakland)

Another area that ride sharing can help.

[tcualum]

I wonder if the OP realizes that just Texas is larger than Germany but much less densely populated. It doesn't make financial sense yet to have a European style public transit system in Texas so condemning us for not having it isn't fair. I love travelling in Europe without a car but the US isn't built like Europe.

[JJG]

Dallas... EASILY.

Then Houston, Austin, Ft. Worth, and San Antonio in that order.

[Spade]

Originally Posted by JJG

Dallas... EASILY.

Then Houston, Austin, Ft. Worth, and San Antonio in that order.

Is it really easily though. DART does have higher rail ridership but Houston has higher bus ridership.

[dallasboi]

Thousands upon thousands of people live in Dallas without a car....Why cant you people be realistic sometimes.Yes a car would be easier but so would a limo driver driving you around.

Of course there are areas in Dallas that are kind of void of public transportation, but those areas are not the areas you would be fighting to get to. I think Dallas has a very good transportation system. Not many systems take you directly to the airport....In fact DART takes you to

* BOTH airports
* Every Business center in the entire metroplex
* All of the entertainment districts
* Numerous amount of Grocery stores
* Numerous shopping centers
* All of the Hospitals
* Almost all of the Major suburbs

And that's just rail service...We also have a pretty good bus system that compliments the ever expanding rail service.

People hate to admit the progression of Dallas...They want to keep it in the "Pathetic" box..

But its changing people....quickly!....

Open your eyes and quit the blind slandering.... Most people who say you can't live in Dallas without a car are the same people who would feel out of place having to walk everywhere when they visit New York....Good Grief

[JJG]

Originally Posted by Spade

Is it really easily though. DART does have higher rail ridership but Houston has higher bus ridership.

You're going by ridership of available options.

I'm going by access to and amout of different options, as well as connectivity with other transportation authorities.

Houston may have higher bus ridership but Dallas just has a lot more to work with...

[GBCommenter]

Originally Posted by Gnostiko

Hmmm, you guys have really put me off Texas, seemingly for the better. I don't have a car because I'm from England, where the cost of owning a vehicle is so ridiculously high many people choose to go without one, and it's possible to access at least 90% of the country via public transport.

I have to ask - how did you get from England to Dickinson, ND? Though it's been a number of years, I've been there. It's not exactly an easy destination to just happen upon and requires either a car or Greyhound. Though I suppose you could just live in town in Dickinson, I can't imagine it's that conducive to public transit. Also, having been there, you have to know there is a significantly different expectation on transit due to larger distance you had to travel to get to Dickinson. Not trying to be chauvinistic or jingoistic here, but it seems you don't understand what the States are about in regard to its size and therefore approach to transit.

Anyway, as far as cost - you need to realize while not cheap there is not the cost that seems to be in England to own a car, so I wouldn't use that as a reason to not have one here.

Originally Posted by KerrTown

The OP might have to consider NYC. S.F. is another contender for consideration. MUNI is pretty good within the city-county and BART is very good up to the suburban train station for reverse trips.

The OP mentioned they are looking for "low rent" and not spending on a car because of perception it's expensive. While Texas is not as cheap as it's perception, it's a steal compared to NYC or SF - which is why people from those areas are moving here. I'm not sure it's realistic to recommend the two most expensive cities in the States as an alternative to Texas, in spite of it being easier to support transit due to exceptionally high density.