Do you need a car to live in Cleveland?

[santos]

I'm considering a move to somewhere in the Great Lakes region, but being used to European cities I prefer a city with reliable and efficient public transportation so I can live a car-free life. How is Cleveland in this respect? Does it vary from one area of the city to another? Is the situation better or worse than other cities in this part of the United States?

Thanks
Josefina

[Dan16]

Hi there Josefina!

Depending on where you live in Cleveland you can comfortably live without a car. With Uber in the United States, it's fairly easy to get around that way and Cleveland does have buses and some trains. The ease in which you can live without a car will most certainly depend on the area that you live in. Living and working in central downtown will make life easy whereas other areas not as much. I currently live in Lakewood which is about 10 minute from downtown and I could get by walking and riding the bus. In the winter, this wouldn't be very fun, but it's doable. I really suggest living in the downtown area and trying to find work there also if want a car free lifestyle.

Good luck!

[Kris_Patel]

Hello Josefina. I have lived in Cleveland, New York City and am now in Los Angeles. Cleveland's public transit is efficient to get to most areas in the Greater Cleveland area (city and near suburbs) through a combination of bus and light rail. When you add the ride-share services like Uber and Lyft you will be able to get anywhere without the need for a car. You will need to get used to being outdoors during inclement weather if you need to go somewhere while its raining, snowing or -10 degrees temperature. There are also very walkable and bike-friendly areas like Lakewood a near-west suburb of Cleveland where you do not need to travel far for your necessities and fun activities. There are neighborhoods where you would not want to be taking public transportation or walking late at night such as East Cleveland, Puritas-Longmeade, Clark-Fulton. Contact @skorasaurus on Twitter for info about various neighborhoods in Cleveland. He and his organization have been mapping the area and are all very familiar with public transit, demographics, safety, and public offerings.

I believe Cleveland is better than other areas in the Midwest. It may not be as massive as NYCs public transit offering but it is comparable in access.

[Mark_Bradbourne]

The short answer is that it depends where you live and what you need to get to and how flexible you are on arrivals/departure. While Cleveland has mass transit (buses and light rail) it's service has been scaled back and many find it difficult to get where they need to be. Cleveland does have Uber and Lyft to aid in getting around as well.

[Steve_Charron]

Cleveland is not terribly friendly to non-drivers. There is a bussing system, but it's slow and unreliable. There are some commuter trains but they're not very effective. Really, most American cities are this way. Certain cities are good (Chicago, New York City, San Francisco being the best) but public transportation is chronically underfunded, and many cities are designed with driving in mind.

[Josh_Mottor]

You don't need a car in some parts of Cleveland. If you live downtown you definitely wouldn't need one. I live in Lakewood on the west side and it's one of the most walkable/bikable cities in the region. I have friends who don't own cars and rely solely on bikes and public transportation. The RTA Cleveland website can give you more info on what bus and train routes look like, but Lakewood is definitely one of the best due to the close proximity of all basic necessities. Hope this helps!

[Gwen_Snorteland]

You can live in Cleveland with no car but pick your neighborhood wisely. Downtown has more public transit connections but it is more focused on after-work and sporting events. The best places to live with no car would be Tremont/Ohio City (west) or Coventry/University Circle (east). I have no car but I hardly ever use public transit. I use a mix or Uber/Lyft for rides, plus Amazon Prime and a grocery delivery service for shopping.