Tucson mass transit? (home, transfer to, university)

[Dino1]

Realistically speaking, how good is the Tucson mass transit system? I know I need a car, which is fine, but, how good can I get around without it? Thanks very much.

[azdr0710]

"mass transit" consists only of city buses in Tucson.....(plus the 3.8 miles of streetcar track that runs between the UA Hospital, the UA, downtown, and just west of downtown)......the city bus system has received good comment in articles that discuss that type of thing......

much will depend on where you live (access to a bus route) and your time available to use a bus (slower than driving right to your destination, of course)

[WilmaWildcat]

Here is a recent thread; search term Sun Tran.

//www.city-data.com/forum/tucso...ng-family.html

[azmemories]

Originally Posted by Dino1

Realistically speaking, how good is the Tucson mass transit system? I know I need a car, which is fine, but, how good can I get around without it? Thanks very much.

Your experience will depend on where you get on/go to and at what times during the day. For example, if you live fairly close to your downtown office and wanted to use mass transit for your morning and afternoon commute, you will probably be okay. If you're partying on 4th Avenue and want to get back to your home up on Magee or east to Harrison/Houghton without driving at 1 or 2 in the morning, taxis are going to have to count as mass transit for that.

[AlaskaErik]

One of the local stations did a segment on all the vagrants and other malcontents that loiter around the transit center. I would avoid the bus if at all possible as there are plenty of unsavory types that ride it.

[tijlover]

Originally Posted by AlaskaErik

One of the local stations did a segment on all the vagrants and other malcontents that loiter around the transit center. I would avoid the bus if at all possible as there are plenty of unsavory types that ride it.

If you haven't ridden a public bus lately, what shall you notice immediately? Most faces buried in their Smartphones and not even noticing if there's any unsavory types around!

And not all people want to avoid the unsavory types! Some of them are extremely interesting!

When down to Tucson on an exploratory trip a couple years ago, I decided to ride the buses for a day to compare them to the buses I've taken in Las Vegas. IMO, a great bus system!

[Colt AZ]

Originally Posted by tijlover

If you haven't ridden a public bus lately, what shall you notice immediately? Most faces buried in their Smartphones and not even noticing if there's any unsavory types around!

And not all people want to avoid the unsavory types! Some of them are extremely interesting!

When down to Tucson on an exploratory trip a couple years ago, I decided to ride the buses for a day to compare them to the buses I've taken in Las Vegas. IMO, a great bus system!

I agree.

The unsavory we will always have with us.

We take the good with the bad... whether we sit or stand... for better or worse... in sickness and in health... whether richer or poorer... be it during snow, rain, sleet, heat or gloom of night... 'til death do us part.

Yes, come what may...

[elkotronics]

If you haven't ridden a public bus lately, what shall you notice immediately? Most faces buried in their Smartphones and not even noticing if there's any unsavory types around!

And not all people want to avoid the unsavory types! Some of them are extremely interesting!

When down to Tucson on an exploratory trip a couple years ago, I decided to ride the buses for a day to compare them to the buses I've taken in Las Vegas. IMO, a great bus system!

From my time spent in Tucson driving my own rig around, I'll say this, Tucson's bus system is comprehensive. tijlover, are you still planning on moving there, still?

[Adamson865]

I live in SW Tucson on a major street, and when I looked at the route map, I noticed a couple things: (a) there's no service on my stretch of road, and (b) I'd have to walk a fair distance to catch a bus that doesn't even go downtown - it goes to some transit center where I'd have to transfer to another bus, then another to get to work. I can drive to work in 12 minutes, and my workday would probably be done by the time my third bus got to work. Looks pretty useless from this corner of Tucson (not to mention the trolley folly that doesn't go much of anywhere and is basically just a tourist attraction).

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by rah62

I live in SW Tucson on a major street, and when I looked at the route map, I noticed a couple things: (a) there's no service on my stretch of road, and (b) I'd have to walk a fair distance to catch a bus that doesn't even go downtown - it goes to some transit center where I'd have to transfer to another bus, then another to get to work. I can drive to work in 12 minutes, and my workday would probably be done by the time my third bus got to work. Looks pretty useless from this corner of Tucson (not to mention the trolley folly that doesn't go much of anywhere and is basically just a tourist attraction).

I agree. If you live in the University area or the Tucson Mall area or along the Speedway/Broadway corridor, it might be an option. For most people, it is a major inconvenience..

Ever notice that the people who do NOT live in the Tucson area are always telling people how great the transit system in Tucson is? To me, the Tucson bus system ranks up there with the bus system in Dayton, OH ... and that is not a compliment.

At least at the Laos center, they have TPD officers covering the center most of the time. That is generally absent at the Ronstadt center.