Public Transportation (Houston, Howe: 2013, transfer, construction)

[futureworld]

Hi,

Is there any good transportation? Do you have to have a car to get around the city?

[SouthernBoy205]

Basically, you have to drive a car. Good news, Houston is expanding its public transportation for many miles and miles. Bad news, you'll need a car for right now.

[jfre81]

No, you don't HAVE to drive a car. I know people who don't.

When people tell you "you can't do this" what it really means is "I'm not willing to do this, so you probably won't be willing to either." It doesn't actually mean "you can't do this."

Generally the closer in you live, the better METRO's service is. The buses will get you from A to B. You just better budget time for transfers, late buses etc. The light rail service is more consistent, though it's only one line currently (there are more either in planning or under construction; we probably won't see any of them completed before 2013). If you live close to it, there's actually quite a bit you can get to. Get far enough outside Loop 610 and bus service gets even more spotty for the most part.

Another thing to consider is the weather. Not just the heat in the summer, but we do get a fair bit of rain here. It doesn't completely preclude the use of public transportation any more here than it would in any other city with less than optimal weather - Chicago comes to mind.

[blkgiraffe]

Originally Posted by jfre81

No, you don't HAVE to drive a car. I know people who don't.

When people tell you "you can't do this" what it really means is "I'm not willing to do this, so you probably won't be willing to either." It doesn't actually mean "you can't do this."

Generally the closer in you live, the better METRO's service is. The buses will get you from A to B. You just better budget time for transfers, late buses etc. The light rail service is more consistent, though it's only one line currently (there are more either in planning or under construction; we probably won't see any of them completed before 2013). If you live close to it, there's actually quite a bit you can get to. Get far enough outside Loop 610 and bus service gets even more spotty for the most part.

Another thing to consider is the weather. Not just the heat in the summer, but we do get a fair bit of rain here. It doesn't completely preclude the use of public transportation any more here than it would in any other city with less than optimal weather - Chicago comes to mind.

This.

You really don't have to have a car in Houston; it has a great BRT system (I walk a lot to places I need to go and I have a car). However, I'd recommend a car.

[SouthernBoy205]

Oops, my bad. I misread the question. I meant you have to drive a ca to get to and in the suburbs

[glorplaxy]

Houston's public transportation is really not good at all unless you live in a few select areas. Some people do not have cars in the city, but they spend a GOOD chunk of their day on transport alone. For someone who isn't so poor that they cannot afford a car, it is doable, but otherwise, just get a car.

Lightrail is suppposedly expanding but it is going to be a long time before it is actually usable by a good amount of Houstonians.

[SouthernBoy205]

Originally Posted by 0815

Rough road: Metro bus drivers had 1,029 wrecks last year | Facebook | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
They also break down all the time

That's terrible and sad!

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by 0815

Rough road: Metro bus drivers had 1,029 wrecks last year | Facebook | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
They also break down all the time

That's really not a very high rate taking the total miles traveled by the entire bus fleet. I think the high-profile crashes involving the bus drivers running red lights across Main downtown has put a little more scrutiny on it, but I'd be willing to bet the rate of accidents and breakdowns of private cars relative to the mileage everyone puts in isn't that much better if at all. Not that I have a way to prove that, then again, it's not like statistics are logged for every time somebody's car breaks down on them. It comes down to maintenance, and I do think METRO puts a little more into maintenance of buses used for higher rates of ridership. Makes sense anyway.

If you are looking at living downtown like your other thread asks about, that's one of the best places you can be as far as getting around on METRO goes. The entire system branches out every which way from there and the light rail begins there. Retail options are increasing. This would be one of the "select areas" as glorplaxy puts it. Most anywhere along the rail line would also qualify.

Close in like that, if you also work nearby, you really won't be spending much more time getting yourself around than anyone else, probably much less so than someone who commutes from the suburbs. You will have everything you need on a daily basis not too far from you, plus a broad range of entertainment.

[SouthernBoy205]

Originally Posted by jfre81

That's really not a very high rate taking the total miles traveled by the entire bus fleet. I think the high-profile crashes involving the bus drivers running red lights across Main downtown has put a little more scrutiny on it, but I'd be willing to bet the rate of accidents and breakdowns of private cars relative to the mileage everyone puts in isn't that much better if at all. Not that I have a way to prove that, then again, it's not like statistics are logged for every time somebody's car breaks down on them. It comes down to maintenance, and I do think METRO puts a little more into maintenance of buses used for higher rates of ridership. Makes sense anyway.

If you are looking at living downtown like your other thread asks about, that's one of the best places you can be as far as getting around on METRO goes. The entire system branches out every which way from there and the light rail begins there. Retail options are increasing. This would be one of the "select areas" as glorplaxy puts it. Most anywhere along the rail line would also qualify.

Close in like that, if you also work nearby, you really won't be spending much more time getting yourself around than anyone else, probably much less so than someone who commutes from the suburbs. You will have everything you need on a daily basis not too far from you, plus a broad range of entertainment.

Tell me something because that would be a hot mess.

[Oskar_Z28]

We live by a bus stop, and one day my wife took the bus to UH from the house. We thought it would not be too bad with only one transfer. Well, 2 hours later she got there. It normally takes 15 minutes by car (30 minutes in traffic) from where we live. Yes, if you have plenty of time on your hands, you can use public transport in Houston, otherwise get a car.