Ease of Going Car Free: Examination of U.S. and Canadian Cities Over 1,000,000

Statistics show that approximately 1/3 of all public transit trips in the United States take place in New York City.  In 2009, the New York MTA carried 2.31 billion riders, for about 282 per capita transit trips. New York has an extensive subway system, new bus rapid transit lines, and commuter trains to the north, Long Island, and New Jersey. New York is currently constructing two new subway lines and extending one. The most frequent routes run more often than every 10 minutes and many operate twenty-four hours per day. One of the two major airports has subway access while the other requires taking a bus. Truly, New York is definitely one city where you do not need a car.  Unfortunately, severe budget problems may negatively affect transit in the Big Apple in the future.   Ease of Living Without a Car: 10/10.

Los Angeles is the second biggest city in the United States, and has a far more extensive transit system than many people realize.  Metro, the primary transit provider in the city, carried over 460 million people in 2010, for about 121 per capita tranist trips. Los Angeles has five rapid transit lines, an extensive commuter rail system, and twenty-two bus rapid transit lines, and is busy constructing fifteen more. The most frequent routes operate more frequently than every ten minutes and service is available twenty-four hours a day on busy routes. Currently, all Los Angeles area airports require taking a bus to access them. The main drawback to transit in Los Angeles is its slow speed. Ease of Living Without a Car: Today: 6/10.; When All Measure R Projects are completed: 8/10.

The city of Chicago is covered extensively by the 140 bus routes and 8 rapid transit lines operated by the Chicago Transit Authority.  In 2010, the CTA carried 517 million passengers, for about 191 per capita transit trips. Commuter rail service extends in all directions (except the lake of course) and is operated by Metra or the South Shore Line.  The most frequent routes operate more frequently than every ten minutes and service is available twenty-four hours a day on busy routes.  Both major Chicago airports are easily accessible by rapid transit.  A major drawback to fast travel by transit in Chicago is the fact that all rapid transit lines are oriented towards the downtown Loop, but a planned Circle Line will will help alleviate that problem.  If you never leave the city limits, then you do not need a car.  Ease of Living Without a Car: 9/10.

The city of Toronto is one of the premier locations for transit riders in North America.  The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) operates 151 bus and streetcar lines and 4 rapid transit lines, and provided 471 million rides in 2009, for about 188 per capita transit trips.  Although some cutbacks are now being made. the TTC made history by deciding to operate every single one of its bus and streetcar lines at headways of 30 minutes or better from 6 AM (9 AM on Sundays) to 1 AM daily.  After the subway and normal buses stop operating an extensive Blue Night network takes over in the early morning hours.  Frequent political disagreements have prevented much transit expansion over the past few years, but several projects are now in the pipeline.  Ease of Living Without a Car: 9/10.

Houston is the largest city in Texas and has bus and rail service operated by Metro.  In 2010, Metro carried 81 million passengers, for about 40.5 per capita transit trips. Metro is aggressively expanding its fledgling light rail system, which currently exists of only one line, by extending it, adding four additional light rail lines, and constructing commuter rail and bus rapid transit in the more outlying areas of town.  While Houston has an extensive park and ride network dedicated to bringing people into downtown from the suburbs, normal service is via slow local routes, most of which end by 10 PM (a few operate until 12 - 1 AM).  One airport has express service to downtown while the other has local bus service.  Ease of Getting Around Without a Car: Now, 5/10; when the transit projects open, 6/10.

Montreal is the largest city in Quebec; service in the city proper on Montreal Island is provided by STM: Societe de Transport de Montreal, while suburban bus service off the island and the commuter trains are operated by different agencies.   In 2010, STM carried 388 million people for a per capita ridership of about 243.  STM operates 206 bus routes and 4 metro lines.  The most frequent bus routes run more often than every ten minutes and there are twenty-one bus routes that run overnight when the Metro is shut down.  Planning is currently underway to extend the existing Metro lines and add a new commuter rail line.   Due to the more compact nature of Montreal than Toronto, the Metro system provides better coverage of the city.  This result is good, as the Montreal bus network is much more confusing than Toronto's.  However, the ease of getting around without a car is still 9/10.