I'm not going to be able to take my car with me when I transfer out of state from Richmond,Virginia. I am looking at schools out of state and would like to work, live and go to school in either downtown Phoenix, Arizona or Austin, Texas. Is it possible to live without a car in either cities and still have a fun life. A lot of college students here in Richmond don't have cars so they have to make friends with people with cars, and/or only work,play and live downtown. Also in Richmond there are lots of jobs, and leisure activities downtown and we are a city of only over 200,000. So, aren't I right in assuming downtown Austin and Phoenix will have even more opportunities for young non-drivers? * I will be living on campus only for a while as well.
Phoenix - 2 Answers
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1
there is a public transportation service in the Phoenix area, plus, it's likely you will meet people that also go to your school, maybe an opportunity to car pool
2
Phoenix has a GREAT public transit system. I went to college there with no car and it was a breeze. There is a bus for every major street and lots of minor ones too. There are plenty of express routes as well and now they also have a light rail. You can get a monthly bus pass for cheap and they're pretty darn reliable time-wise. Because of all the colleges in the area, there are also a lot of starter jobs for college students. You also need to keep in mind that the transit system stretches to Tempe as well so it's not like it keeps you stuck within Metro Phoenix. Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler, Peoria, etc are all easily reachable via public transport. Public transport is never a 100% clean or creepy people free experience, but compared to a lot of cities, Phoenix has a great system going. I used it the entire time I was going to college there and never had a problem. Sometimes I'd even bike part way and throw my bike on the front of the bus for part of the ride. Because it's so hot in the summer, they really have to have a good public transit system or no one would get anywhere =) You can't walk or bike when it's 120. For the first summer you'll be telling people "DRY HEAT MY @$$!!!!" but you will get used to it. The first time you fly home to Richmond during the summer, you'll see what I mean. I was always poo-pooing "dry heat" until I stepped off a plane in Chicago when it was 89 (100% humidity) and I couldn't breathe. You don't sweat when it's 120 in Phoenix either. Well, you do, but because of the low humidity it just evaporates. You're hot, but you're not uncomfortable.
