Is Arlington, Texas, the largest city in the US without mass public transit? | Fort Worth Report (2024)

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Is Arlington, Texas, the largest city in the US without mass public transit? | Fort Worth Report (1)byHaley Samsel

Yes.

With a population of 395,000, Arlington remains the largest U.S. city without a mass public transit system, including bus or rail.

Voters have rejected proposals to create public transit three times since 1980, with many residents opposing a bus system. Between 2013 and 2017, the city funded a single bus route operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit.

Citing low ridership, Arlington officials discontinued the route in December 2017 and replaced the program with a ride-sharing service. Residents can book rides through Arlington On-Demand until at least December 2024.

With Arlington slated to host 2026 World Cup matches and the 2024 MLB All-Star Game, officials are exploring new transit options to venues like AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field. The city has announced a partnership with an electric air taxi company and set aside $17.5 million for street, transit and traffic projects in the entertainment district.

Is Arlington, Texas, the largest city in the US without mass public transit? | Fort Worth Report (2)

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

City of Arlington New app available for citywide rideshare public transportation service, now known as Arlington On-Demand

The Dallas Morning News Why is there no mass public transportation to get to the World Series in Arlington?

Ars Technica This city has a vision for mass transit that doesn’t involve city buses

KERA News Arlington’s rideshare service Via hits milestones as commuters feel pain at the gas pump

KERA News Arlington, regional officials consider local funds to pay for World Cup improvements

City of Arlington Overair, City of Arlington to develop and launch eVTOL operations at Arlington Municipal Airport

Fort Worth Report is partnering withGigafactto produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Let us know what you think by emailing us here.

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Is Arlington, Texas, the largest city in the US without mass public transit? | Fort Worth Report (3)

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Haley Samsel is the environmental reporter for the Fort Worth Report. You can reach them at haley.samsel@fortworthreport.org. Her coverage is made possible by a grant from the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman...More by Haley Samsel

Is Arlington, Texas, the largest city in the US without mass public transit? | Fort Worth Report (2024)

FAQs

Is Arlington, Texas, the largest city in the US without mass public transit? | Fort Worth Report? ›

With a population of nearly 395,000, Arlington is the largest city in the U.S. without any mass public transportation, according to previous Shorthorn reporting. Yet the city consistently seems to buckle down on car dependency to the point of trying to redefine public transit into city-sponsored private taxi cabs.

What is the largest city in the US without public transportation? ›

Arlington, Texas has the dubious distinction of being the largest city in the nation with no fixed-route public transit system.

Why does Arlington, TX have no public transportation? ›

With a population of 395,000, Arlington remains the largest U.S. city without a mass public transit system, including bus or rail. Voters have rejected proposals to create public transit three times since 1980, with many residents opposing a bus system.

Which US city has the most public transportation? ›

No. 1: New York, New York. In 2023, more than 3.6 million people rode New York City's subways each weekday on average, and more than 1 million rode its buses, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Does Arlington VA have good public transportation? ›

Arlington is well connected to Washington, D.C. and the greater region with 11 Metro stations on the Orange, Silver, Blue and Yellow lines, plus easy connections to the Red Line for access to Amtrak Washington, D.C. Union Station.

What is the largest city in the US without a train? ›

Excerpt from the executive summary. Columbus, Ohio is the largest city in the United States without passenger rail service.

What is the largest city in the US without a train station? ›

Though resuming local or intercity rail has been proposed since the 1970s, Columbus is currently the largest city in the United States without any form of passenger rail service.

What city in Texas has the best public transportation? ›

With 95 miles of metro rail line, the city of Dallas has the most widespread public transit system in Texas. Known as DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit), the network has 65 stations, four downtown rail lines plus streetcars, and three suburban lines.

What is Arlington on demand? ›

The Arlington On-Demand service provides convenient, fast, and affordable transportation services across all of Arlington!

What is the Arlington Mass Transit Plan? ›

The Arlington Transit Strategic Plan (ATSP) will establish a consistent approach for how state, regional, and local policies are implemented in the County's transportation system. It focuses on the vision and mission for the agency, and the goals and objectives needed to achieve this vision.

What US state has the best public transport? ›

New York doesn't only have the best transit system in the U.S. but also one of the best transit systems in the world. It has nearly 500 subway stations. You can find a subway station or bus station almost anywhere in the city and its outskirts.

What city makes up 2/3 of public transit use in the USA? ›

List of U.S. cities with high transit ridership
RankCityPublic transit commuters as % of population (2015)
1New York City, New York56.5%
2Jersey City, New Jersey47.6%
3Washington, D.C.37.4%
4Boston, Massachusetts33.7%
46 more rows

What US state has the most public transportation? ›

At the state level, New York residents average the most public transit trips per year at 99.9 trips per person. Other states have much fewer public transportation options.

Is Arlington a walkable city? ›

America's Most Walkable Suburb

Arlington is proud to be one of nine communities profiled and featured in America Walks and the Every Body Walk! Collaborative's book, America's Walking Renaissance.

Does Arlington, Texas have public transportation? ›

The suburb -- home to Six Flags Over Texas, Hurricane Harbor, AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Park -- is one of the largest U.S. cities without mass public transit system.

Can you live in Arlington without a car? ›

Arlington, Virginia is one of the best places in the United States to go car-free. The reason? There are so many transportation options. ART - Arlington Transit is Arlington's local bus system.

What is the largest city without a metro system? ›

1- Karachi, Pakistan

With a population of over 17 million, Karachi is the largest metropolis in the world without a metro system. This large Pakistani city is the main port and financial centre of the country and is also considered the main transport hub and major international gateway to Pakistan.

What was the first city in the US to have public transportation? ›

Mass transit has been part of the urban scene in the United States since the early 19th century. Regular steam ferry service began in New York City in the early 1810s and horse-drawn omnibuses plied city streets starting in the late 1820s.

Which city does not have a subway? ›

The largest city in the world that does not have a subway system is Jakarta. It's a megacity, with more than 30 million inhabitants within its sprawling metropolitan area.

Why don t American cities have public transport? ›

There are some claims that American geography makes public transit untenable, but the truth is that our built environment has been created in such a way that people have little choice but to drive. After World War II, car culture and an increased focus on single-family homes built the kind of suburbs we know today.

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