How I Live Without a Car In The US (And Why I’ll Never Own a Car Again)
I haven’t owned a car for five years, since I was 20 years old, and lived in a small town in Vermont.
My foray into car-free life began when I moved to New York City. I loved how active my everyday life became as I swapped driving for walking and biking. Every excursion out of my apartment became a video game-like journey. Every ride on the Subway was a cultural experience and a great time to catch up on reading.
When I went home to visit family, I took the Amtrak for the first time. I experienced the superiority of sitting on a train for seven hours, with ample legroom, a cafe car, and wifi, instead of driving for six.
After Living in New York, I Knew I Never Wanted to Own a Car Again
So I haven’t. Since leaving New York in 2022, I’ve been a full-time traveler. I’ve spent time in all the places in almost all the U.S. metro areas you think of as the most car-dependent. I’ve taken public buses, used bike shares, and walked in cities including…
- Los Angeles, CA
- Orange County, CA ← This is what I’ve done most regularly
- Austin, TX
- Denver, CO
- Phoenix, AZ
- Louisville, KY
- Miami + Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Orlando, FL
- Pittsburgh, PA
Not to mention, the cities that are not as hostile to those who don’t own cars including…
- Chicago, IL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Washington, DC
- Boston, MA
I’ve seen the best and the worst of car-dependent infrastructure in the United States, and I’ve figured out how to thrive in all of it.
Along the way, the journey has been a lot of fun. Driving in traffic sucks, and exploring cities on foot, bus, and bike is frankly just better. (I’m getting ahead of myself. For the benefits of living car-free, you can scroll down towards the end.)
Car-Free Living is NOT Just Reserved For Outrageously Expensive Big Cities
When you think of car-free living, you may think of expensive big cities like New York and San Francisco. Of course (if you can afford it), those will be the easiest places to live car-free.
I lived in a shoebox on New York’s Lower East Side for $1500 a month. Then it went up to $1770. That was a stretch. Once it went up again, I was out. Our housing crisis made sure that urban backpacking adventures would be my next move.
I’ve discovered that, even if it’s challenging (it is) living car-free in the U.S. can be exciting and fulfilling.
It doesn’t need to just be for the SF tech crowd and NYC finance bros.
Expensive Car Ownership + Housing Crisis = BAD
Most of those who don’t own cars aren’t wealthy city slickers. Despite the cultural imagination that “everyone drives,” this is not not true. Around 8% of U.S. households don’t own a car.
The average cost of car ownership is $1000 a month in the U.S. On top of that, 42 million Americans were considered burdened by housing costs according to 2022 Harvard research. This is people who spend at least 30% of their income on housing. Millions of Americans spend more than 50% of their income on transportation and housing alone.
Pile our nationwide housing crisis on top of the expensive costs of car ownership, and it’s no wonder people are looking for places and ways to live car-free without moving to Manhattan.
I get into how our car-dependent culture impedes people from succeeding in the United States in this article on the hidden costs of cars.
So keep in mind that millions of people do live this way. Of course, we need to advocate for improvement on local and national scales to make car-free life easier. But I know, even as we stand, it’s possible.
21 Tips to Live Without a Car In The U.S.
The philosophical and practical
1) You Can’t Be Afraid to Be Different
For two years I’ve worked virtually for a company based in Orange County, California. Since then, I’ve visited the offices about four times a year. I remember the first time I told a work colleague that I took the bus from a friend’s house where I was staying to the office. She looked at me like I had mold on my face.
People will think you’re weird. This is a GOOD thing.
Nobody looks back at their life and says, “Thank GOD I did what everybody else around me did and never tried anything unique.” Living car-free in a place where it’s not the norm is the perfect training ground for becoming your own person.
In fact, come to love that you’re different. I learned this in the context of language learning. It gave me no shame. I don’t care if taking transit makes me weird.
2) Learn to Love The Journey
Non-car transportation in the U.S. won’t be easy. Buses and trains will be late or even canceled without explanation. Even when it’s on schedule, it will usually be slower than driving. You may be cold in winter or hot in summer as you strut from place to place, while others sit in their climate-controlled movement boxes (cars.)
I’ve come to embrace this and see the transit as part of the journey itself, not just as a means to get somewhere. I think of what the Stoics often said, “Amor Fati.” Accept your fate and learn to love it.
View Transit as an adventure
I noticed my childlike desire for exploration come into play when I was standing on a street in LA waiting for a bus to come to take me to a pupusería in Inglewood.
When I took the Amtrak from Pittsburgh to Chicago (and got a private roomette), I didn’t want it to end because the views were so incredible. I could’ve stayed on that train for 48 more hours, and I didn’t care where it was going! Such is the power of embracing the journey, regardless of how long it takes.
Even when things seem bad, like on my 7-hour Greyhound bus to Louisville that ended in, well, not the nicest part of Louisville, I viewed it as a true moment in my exploration of what it means to be American. It means if you don’t own a car, you’re often a second-class citizen, dropped off next to broken glass and a half-vacant strip mall. (If you find yourself considering the Greyhound, read my article on tips to thrive on the Greyhound bus.)
Every journey, pleasant or not, has something to teach us.
3) Become a Puzzle Solver
To succeed car-free, you’re going to have to solve puzzles of how to get from A to B. Tools and apps can help you, but you’ll have to strategize.
Think of each transportation experience as a puzzle to solve, with a rewarding jolt of dopamine when you figure it out. For me, the feeling of navigating a tricky bus or train route ranks right up there—just below taking MDMA and just above the joy of a sunny spring day in NYC. It’s a drug.
4) Accept That You Can’t Have It All
There will be restrictions to living car-free. Some things you may just opt out of because it’ll be too impractical. Other times, you’ll choose to Uber and wait 17 minutes for a car.
This can lead to frustration of feeling like you’re missing out, followed by elation for choosing what matters most to you, and knowing you can’t have it all. Yes, you may be saying no to the convenience of taking your own car, but you’re saying yes to so much else in exchange. (Again, see the benefits section towards the end.)
I don’t need to get anywhere at any time or be anywhere at any time. I can just be, and accept what I have. What a freeing concept.
These big ideas have made car-free life a pillar of my life. It has taught me to love and embrace it all and helped me see how even negative experiences can have silver linings, lessons, and adventures.
Okay, Let’s Move on To The Practical
Enough of my philosophical musings. Now that you’re armed with the right mindset for living car-free in car-dependent places, let’s get into what you came here for: practical tips.
Know Your Options
Often there are more than you think. In the public imagination, we think that if there’s no train you’re screwed. But this limits you to not very many metro areas.
5) Don’t Underestimate The Bus Network
In most U.S. metro areas, buses are going to be the main transit option.
Few cities have heavy rail, and if you live in one of those cities, you still have more options when you consider buses.
New York unlocked another transit level for me when I figured out the buses. They stop more often, have more crosstown routes than the subway, and are key for transit outside of Manhattan.
Most U.S. metro areas have reasonably functioning buses. Some are infrequent (coming only every hour, and sometimes only during commuting times) and slower than driving, but they’re usually on time, clean, and comfortable.
6) Embrace The Bike
Then, you have biking. Bigger cities tend to have bike shares. This is where there are bikes with docks that you can use and leave at a different dock. In New York I’ve logged 1000+ citi bike miles.
It was the cheapest way to get around, and perfect for trips that were a sweet spot of too far to walk, or too close to take the train. In more car-dependent places, you’ll have to get a bike.
Isn’t biking dangerous? How to stay safe.
Yes, biking can be dangerous, but that’s because of cars! Not the bikes. The argument against biking, and walking for that matter, because people die doing both neglects the fact that it’s almost always the cars doing the killing. Pedestrians rarely drop dead, and if they do, it’s not the walking that killed them.
Look up the bike paths and lanes where it’s safe.
In Burlington, VT, for example, there are major bike paths that can take you through the city.
In New York, I knew from experience that in Lower Manhattan, 12th and 13th Street are the ones you want to take to get across town because they have protected bike lanes.
This will take some research, but if you talk to locals and explore online you’ll figure out the safer routes with slower traffic and protected lanes.
Of course, wear a helmet.
When I lived in New York, biking was my default. I realized how much it opened up my options. 40-minute walks are often 15-minute bike rides, so it greatly expands what’s in an easy commuting distance.
The rule of thumb among New Yorkers is to not have a bike that’s worth stealing. Depending on where you are, this may or may not hold up. In London, I saw lots of nicer bikes casually locked up. But I think it’s generally good advice.
Don’t spend $2000 on your first commuter bike. I got one on Facebook Marketplace for $75. Reallocate some of those funds to a good lock.
7) Bike to the Buses
Then, you have a combination. This is underrated. Even if you plan on mostly taking the bus, consider having a bike too.
15-minute walks to a bus stop might be excessive, but you can cut that to five minutes by biking to the stop.
On most U.S. buses you can bring your bike without any issues. Sometimes they’ll have a bike rack on the outside of the bus, other times you just walk on with your bike.
8) Rideshares Are Still Cheaper Than Car Ownership
Although only a last resort for me, any U.S. metro area will be serviced by rideshares and taxis. It’s good to know you have them in case you ever get stranded. This is common at night when there’s less transit service.
Yes, these rides can be expensive, but as we’ll talk about later, the occasional rideshare is still way cheaper than owning a car.
Tips to Plan Your Route
If you live car-free, you’ll have to put in extra effort to plan. This could lead to a mess of figuring out bus schedules on poorly designed city and county websites.
9) Use The “Arrive By” and “Leave By” Features on Google or Apple Maps
On both leading maps apps you can see what time you’d have to leave to get to your destination at a certain time. Here’s a real screenshot of this, when I had to take a bus in Pittsburgh to catch the midnight Amtrak en route to Chicago. To arrive at 11:47, I had to leave at 11:25.
I’m always surprised how many people didn’t know this feature existed.
11) For Important Trips, Double Check Timetables
If it’s important, double-check on the timetable. Timetables may seem confusing and so 20th century, but it’s nice to know when things are supposed to come. Nearly every city website will have these.
Plus, Google and Apple may seem like they’re all-knowing (scary thought), but they do get transit times wrong from time to time. Get the schedule right from the source as well if it’s something you can’t miss.
12) Plan to Arrive Early
Relatedly, plan to arrive at least five minutes before a bus or train comes. Because if you miss it, you’ll often have to wait an hour, which frankly means you’re just not going. Such is the reality of car-free life in the U.S. for now. Sigh.
Prep for The Ride Bus or Train Ride
Just a few quick tips from a bus veteran.
13) Bring $1 Bills
Since I travel so much, I’ve lost patience in figuring out how to pay for the bus in every freaking city in the country. Sometimes you gotta download an app, sometimes you can tap your credit card. The easiest is cash.
They all take cash, and all cost less than $3. (Most are $1-$2). They can’t give change, so carry around $1 bills.
I’ve made mistakes like this, and good samaritans have given me change for a ten-dollar bill, so now I carry around plenty of ones and play my role as a public transit angel.
14) Bring Something to Do On Public Transit
In other words, Always Carry a Book (ACAB). This is good life advice, in addition to good transit advice. One of the awesome things about taking public transit is you can do whatever you want and you don’t have the stress of driving.
15) Travel Light!
Living car-free has also unexpectedly taught me to be a minimalist. When I owned a car, things I never used piled up in it, and my life just felt more scattered.
It also meant I often bought things “in bulk” or just unnecessary things, which then just took up a ton of space. You have to declutter your house and car every few months.
Now I know that all I ever need to live can fit in a backpack.
How to Find The Right Area to Live Car-Free
Now let’s get into how to decide where to live. There are a lot of layers to this.
16) First, Choose a City You Want to Live In!
This doesn’t just include big hyper-expensive cities either. Some suburban-like areas have the density and infrastructure. For me, that was the case with Orange County, California. Santa Ana has tons of buses and a good amount in walking distance of anywhere. And incredible Mexican food near these bus stops. I stayed with my friend in Old Towne Orange and had no issues. With a bike, it would’ve been even easier.
Small cities also have options too, like Burlington, Vermont, and its surrounding area.
In some places, I would say I “just got by.” But I had great car-free success visiting more affordable cities like Pittsburgh and Louisville, to name a few examples.
If you already have a community you love, don’t assume you need to leave it. You may just need to head to a different part of town.
If you’re looking for affordable areas where you can live car-free, those exist too.
17) Find The Right Zip Code and the Housing + transit equation
Every single metropolitan area I’ve been to in the U.S. had at least a few sections that were walkable.
Unfortunately, often these are more expensive neighborhoods. But if you to meet your core needs by walking and biking, then you may choose to pay a little more for the ideal neighborhoods. Keep in mind the cost of transit and housing together. If you spend 30% of your income on housing but spend very little on transit, you can likely live comfortably.
To find the right ZIP code, it’s best to know the place firsthand. Again, if you’re staying in your broader area, you’ll probably already have a few places in mind. You can also check a website like Walk Score, which gives a good jumping-off point for things like walkability and biking ease.
18) The Right Block Matters More
While the right neighborhood is important, I think the right block matters even more. You could live in a very car-dependent area, but if you just happen to live a 2-minute walk from a bus stop that takes you where you need to go, that can make up for a lot of drawbacks.
In contrast, if you live in a zip code with lots of walking options but you’re a 12-minute walk to the bus, that’s a big difference.
This is partially why housing near train stations is often more expensive. But the buses aren’t so popular, so it might not matter much.
Before you move somewhere, head to Google or Apple Maps and check how long it will take you to get to important places like the grocery store, gym, work, or wherever it is you go regularly.
Personally, I’d always choose a smaller apartment if it meant a very accessible location. If you live car-free, that proximity to what matters is even more important.
Can You Live Car-Free in a small town?
This should arguably be its own article. Of course depending the town, it could be nearly impossible. However, most of the same tips apply. If your small town has a bus stop that goes to a bigger area, live next to you. “Main Street,” which likely developed before the car was invented, will have the most density and options. Even if you can’t live “car-free” you could be able to live “car-light.”
Move to Europe
But if you really want to live car-free in a small town, the best option I can offer you is to move to Europe, where even small towns are dense, walkable, and with transit to the nearest city.
I wrote about the concept of “satellite cities,” another option if you prefer a small town environment in this article on urbanism lessons from Medellín.
Be an Advocate in Your Community
Traveling around the world and seeing where city planning goes right and wrong, I’ve been a passive participant in what places have to offer. But you can make your community more suitable for car-free life by participating.
It may not happen next week, but you can have a direct hand in shaping infrastructure decisions nearby.
I’m from a small town in Vermont where the “elected officials” are often the moms of kids I went to high school with. It’s where the Front Porch Forum is 50% names I recognize.
Growing up in a real community, I’ve seen that actually, my voice does make a difference. In towns and small cities, sadly, very few people vote in non-major elections.
But that means your voice can have a disproportionate impact. Your voice could be the difference between a bus route or a bike lane that would directly improve your life and improve your city.
Here are some simple ways to get involved.
19) Email Your Local Elected Officials!
This is something I can do it from anywhere. Tell them who you are and what you want out of your community, whether that’s more investment in bike lanes to make it safer from cars, wider sidewalks, more streets closed to cars.
Very few people will do this, so your voice will matter.
20) Find Out About Town Hall and City Hall Events
Since you’re a baddie who takes transit, you already have no shame, which should propel you to go to Town Hall and talk to people about how more roads don’t relieve traffic, and that if we’re to avoid the worst of the catastrophic effects of climate change, we need to invest in mass trans NOW.
Be that guy. Or be nice at first, and then be that guy. Even from wherever I’m traveling, I can join in on various town meetings via Zoom.
Or Find Other Community Centers
For example, I’ve seen how community gardens provide tons of benefits, including fostering community relationships.
21) Talk To Your Friends About It
In addition to being involved yourself, be a public transit angel. Annoy your friends by telling them how you reduced your CO2 emissions AND got a workout in by biking. Chew their ear off about how society should be built for people and not cars.
Encourage them to use their car less, and more importantly, to eventually join you at Town Hall to advocate for more car-free access and options in your community.
This is all stuff that I do as part of my personal resolve to be more annoying.
The Benefits of Living of Car-Free and Why I’ll Never Go Back
Okay, you probably already know a lot of this, if you’re seeking out information on how to do it. But if you needed the last nudge, here are some of the benefits.
Save A LOT of Money
rom the cost of the car, to the insurance, parking, gas, inspection, repairs, and more, it’s really expensive.
Spend some time imagining what you could do with that money. Here are some ideas:
- Save it, invest it wisely, and probably have an extra million dollars by the time you retire.
- Hire a private chef once a week. Have them teach you how to cook.
- Hire a personal trainer AND a fancy gym membership.
- Enjoy a luxury travel experience and buy yourself a Roomette on the Amtrak. Or like 12 roomettes.
I don’t know. It’s your life. The options are endless.
Be More Active and Healthy
Nobody likes to talk about it, but we are one of the most sedentary populations in all of human history. There’s no doubt that this is partly because we don’t move to get places anymore. (In addition to the crap our agriculture system feeds us.)
When you live without a car, you’ll start getting in more steps without even trying. I loved this about living in New York and it’s partially why I insist on car-free live. After biking everywhere, I always felt my cardio was great without putting in any extra effort into my fitness.
Less Stress
Road rage will no longer be a thing. In general, rushing to get places will no longer be a thing. Going anywhere will be both an adventure and time to read, journal, or text your friends.
Help Save The Planet
Cars are one of the biggest causes of emissions. And it’s not just the gas you put in the car. It’s the deforestation needed to clear space for wide roads, the production and maintenance of cars, the sprawled, inefficient housing it encourages. And electric vehicles won’t solve any of these, so we need to move away from car dependency.
By ditching your car, and advocating in your community for car-free options, you’ll be making a small dent in this big problem.
More Reading Time
Or whatever you wind up doing on transit. There’s no doubt I read several books per year on transit. It’s a hack for becoming smarter.
More Adventure, More Acceptance
As I’ve said, I love that living car-free has helped me see every excursion as an adventure and an exercise in acceptance of what life throws my way.
In Sum, You’ll Be More Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise
Ben Franklin said, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”
Well, I say that ditching your car and living car-free does the same thing.
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