Car-less commuters in Dallas say that although the lifestyle comes with its challenges, they see the benefit in saving money, saving the environment and...
Courtney Lynn Hunter waits for the DART train into downtown Dallas, as part of her regular work commute on July 12, 2024.Courtney Hunter never thought she’d total her car. But on Christmas Eve in 2021, she stood by the wreckage of her 2008 Nissan Versa on the Dallas North Tollway, grateful to be alive. She realized her plans to go car-free had been expedited.
Meanwhile, city councils across the Metroplex are proposing cutting funding for DART from their budgets. The Plano City Council voted on June 24 to ask the DART board to allow Plano and 12 other cities to pay 25% less in tax revenue over time, andfor the first time since 2018 and eliminate less popular fare options next year. Staff said the changes aim to help the agency maintain and improve service in the face of higher costs.
While Lytle and Zoccoli don’t need to pay for gas, car insurance, parking or maintenance, there are still expenses that come with transportation for non-car owners.Even though Colorado gets a free monthly DART pass as a member of its advisory committee, he still spends, on average, $120 a month on extra transit passes, trips on ridesharing apps, scooter rentals and other transportation-related expenses. DART passes normally cost anywhere from $80 to $192 a month.
Increased ride sharing options like Uber and Lyft and electric scooters and bikes make it easier for people to get around without a car. More transit-oriented developments, or multipurpose buildings close to transit services, increase access to buses and trains. Work-from-home lifestyles and online shopping also reduce reliance on a car, Abdelghany said.“The fabric of the transportation system changed significantly,” he said.
Lytle believes public transportation is not just for people without a car — it can also be an option for those with a car who are just interested in an alternative option. And Lytle and Zoccoli think people should be more aware of and open-minded to using Dallas public transportation, which can be stigmatized.Courtney Lynn Hunter takes the DART train to work from downtown Dallas to North Dallas, Texas on July 12, 2024.
“ is kind of an alternative world to sitting on a 10-lane highway where everyone’s driving like crazy and you’re scared for your life,” Zoccoli said. “People should have an alternative to not having to be on that road.”“In the U.S., a lot of people associate freedom with car ownership,” Zoccoli said. “For me, it is the opposite. … It’s so freeing to not have to pay for the car, to not have to spend 10 minutes looking for parking every time you go somewhere.
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