People have long begged for mass transit in Texas. They want high speed rail, subways, everything that other major metropolitan cities have. They beg for it not realizing in Texas, we simply do not want it. We could install it if we wanted to. Texas Central Railway has tried proposing a high-speed rail between Houston and Dallas for well over a decade. That plan has been dead in the water for about six years, and no one has really cared.
We are a car-happy state and always have been. The problem with public transit in Texas is we are largely rural. Even in the major cities, it is a problem. Houston, Dallas and Austin are not “walking” cities like New York or Chicago. A car is a necessity in them. Without one, you might be walking for literal miles to get where you want. In the scorching heat or bitter cold. No one wants to do that. So, we drive. Regardless of how long the commute might be.
But as the population boom continues in the Lone Star State, the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) says the state needs more public transit to cope with mobility demands. It is an idea that seems great on the surface, but when you think about it, it is nothing but putting a band aid on a breaking dam.
Terri Hall of Texans for Toll Free Highways says public transit ridership has been declining sharply for the last 50 years, regardless of the money being thrown at it.
“Public transit has not worked…it is not efficient, it is not fast, it does not get people where they want to go…and in fact, most of the problem has been solved by rideshare, like Uber or Lyft,” she says.
Ridesharing is a big part of the equation, as it is much easier to just pay for a ride and not have to drive yourself. But you might think that is where mass transit would help, so you don’t have to ride in a car with a stranger.
Well, Houston has tried its hardest with improving mass transit. They built the Metrorail system downtown in the early 2000s, and that is still barely being used. They have also thrown money as the bus system, improving routes, stops, and the buses themselves. To no avail. Ridership continues declining steeply.
Now, TXDOT uses gas taxes to help improving our highways. But they cannot use that money for public transit. So, money is not going to come from the federal route. That means the cities would have to foot the bill for any major improvements to public transit. That makes this whole idea a pipe dream at best.
“With the Trump Administration not as pro-transit as the Biden Administration…it is wishful thinking for this to become reality in a state like Texas without those matching funds…there is no way these local cities will have funding to do mass transit,” says Hall.
Houston alone is in a $300 million budget deficit they have yet to figure out, so there is no money to be thrown around to make it happen.
As mentioned, Texas, even in the metropolitan areas, is largely rural. Installing mass transit across the cities and state is a logistical nightmare.
But even bigger, public transit does nothing to aid your commute. Just consider how bad traffic is in Houston or Dallas. Add in multiple stops, riding a slow vehicle, and crowds of people. In fact, it can make your travel time longer by over an hour in most instances. Which makes the idea even in our major cities unfeasible and pointless.
“Even if it gets you where you need to go…it will take you two to three times as long, or longer, to get where you want…it is just inefficient,” Hall says.
No matter how hard people want to try, mass transit will not be a reality in Texas. Unless the state somehow shrinks in physical size.
Meanwhile, TXDOT is holding the last pair of meetings this week seeking public input in San Antonio and Austin. A final plan is expected by the end of the year.