Is it possible to live in our state without a car?
We have over 1.1 million cars
registered in Connecticut (not counting SUVs, pickups and vans) for our 2.6
million licensed drivers. But that
still doesn’t account for another half-million adults who don’t drive, by
choice or economic necessity.
According to AAA, in
Connecticut it costs about $11,000 a year to operate a new car (not counting
its purchase price), well above the national average. You can blame high insurance premiums,
property taxes, registration and maintenance… plus the cost of gasoline. That means the average driver pays about 70
cents a mile to drive.
But in most of the state, access
to a car is essential for daily living, especially if you’re older.
Something like 19% of all Connecticut residents are over age 65. Over age 70, traffic fatalities increase with age; by age 85, drivers have probably outlived their ability to drive safely.
Every year some 600,000 adults
in the US stop driving. But because seniors make 90% of their trips
in private cars, either driving or as passengers, what happens next?
When seniors stop driving it
impacts more than their mobility: it can also affect their health. Seniors who stop driving make 15% fewer
trips to the doctor. They can’t get out to shop as
much. They isolate socially, which can lead to depression and a
downward spiral in health.
Living in the suburbs, 80% of
seniors reside in car-dependent neighborhoods. Some 53% of those
areas don’t have sidewalks and 60% are not within a ten minute walk of a
transit stop, assuming the elders can still walk that distance.
The cost of bus fare isn’t the
main reason that dissuades seniors from riding the bus. It’s not
knowing where the bus stops are, when they run, the lack of a shelter and, yes,
probably a fear for their safety. Plus
not all buses kneel, which makes boarding a challenge.
Many affluent communities
offer free or low-cost ride services for seniors (and others with disabilities).
In Greenwich there’s “Call A Ride”, in Fairfield “Dial
A Ride” and in Darien “At
Home in Darien”. And several cities offer
on-demand, Uber-like services such as Norwalk and Westport’s “Wheels2U” and New Haven’s “Via NHV”.
At the other end of the mobility
spectrum, many of our cities and towns have gone to great expense installing
bike lanes. But when’s the last time you
saw them being used? They sound great,
offering a chance for exercise and enhanced mobility, but they’re hardly useful
year-round. And they certainly don’t
replace the utility of a car.
Metro-North, Shore Line East
and the Hartford Line are great if you’re going to a city center. But getting to the station usually means
relying on a car. And when you alight
from the train in many towns, that last-mile to your destination still involves
a cab or bus (if it runs your way).
So can you live, work and play
in our state without a car? You decide.
2 comments:
Reposted from a reader's e-mail:
I just read your most recent column in the CT Mirror and must express my disappointment.
While the article correctly notes that Westport provides "Uber-like services" through Wheels2U, it leaves the strong impression that those servicers are solely for the elderly and people with a disability. In fact, Westport's Wheels2U service is open to anyone looking for transportation in Westport. It goes to and from the Greens Farms and Saugatuck train stations to anywhere in Westport from 5:30 am to 10:30 am and again from 4 pm to 9:30 pm Monday through Friday. It also goes between anywhere in Westport and the Westport Center for Senior Services, the Westport Farmers' Market, and Jesup Green in Downtown Westport from 9 am to 1:30 pm on Tuesday through Thursday. We will shortly expand services to the CVS and Trader Joe's shopping centers at the corner of the Post Road and Compo Road North to allow riders to shop and to connect with the Coastal Link buses. In October Westport's Wheels2U provided over 3,000 rides and is on target to provide over 30,000 rides in the current fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.
In addition to its Wheels2U service, the Westport Transit District also provides in-town door-to-door service to and from anywhere in Westport for people with a disability and the elderly.and from anywhere in Westport to towns to our west, as far as Greenwich for people with a disability. While the Westport Transit District contracts with the Norwalk Transit District to provide those services, they are entirely paid for (with the exception of a small state grant of approximately $30,000) and authorized by the Westport Transit District. You can find more information about these services at https://norwalktransit.com/ada-services-westport/.
I should also point out that the caption on the picture at the start of the article is also misleading. The caption only mentions the Norwalk Transit District's Wheels2U service when in fact an unedited view of the photo clearly shows it is the photo for the home page for both Wheels2U Norwalk and Wheels2U Westport. See it at https://www.wheels2u.org/.
While the Westport Transit District works closely with the Norwalk Transit District, the Westport Transit District is a separate entity in its own right, created by the Westport RTM and with its own Directors. in fact, the Westport Transit District was created five years before the Norwalk Transit District was created in 1973 and ten years before the Norwalk Transit District began operations in 1978.
As a long-time advocate for public transit in Westport, first as a member and then Chair of the Westport RTM Transit Committee and for the past several years as a Director of the Westport Transit District, I have worked hard with my co-Director, Karina Betfarhad, to make Westport a place where people leave their cars at home because they can actually be carless in Connecticut. A fuller, more accurate description of the services the Westport Transit District provides could only have helped with that endeavor.
Peter Gold
Member, RTM District 5
Director, Westport Transit District
Reposted from a reader's email:
As I approach my 70th birthday, living with cerebral palsy has taught me resilience—but it has also exposed the gaps in our transportation system. Mobility is not a luxury; it’s a lifeline for my sister with a disability as well and for me. Yet for many of us with disabilities, that lifeline feels fragile.
I own a car and use a wheelchair, but I wasn’t aware of the services available for wheelchair transportation until recently. Even when options exist, reliability is a constant concern. Can we truly depend on Uber, Lyft, or GoGoGrandparent.
To get us to medical appointments or social activities on time? Too often, riders are left waiting—sometimes for an hour—before being picked up. For someone with limited mobility, that wait isn’t just inconvenient; it’s exhausting and isolating.
I’m lucky living in the suburbs (Middlefeild) magnifies these challenges. No sidewalks. Unclear bus routes. Limited knowledge of community services. For those of us who rely on wheelchairs, the lack of accessible infrastructure turns a simple outing into a logistical nightmare. This isn’t just about transportation—it’s about dignity and independence.
We need a shift in priorities. Accessibility should be woven into the fabric of urban planning. Imagine neighborhoods with safe sidewalks, clear transit information, and bike lanes that double and mobility corridors for wheelchairs. These changes wouldn’t just benefit people with disabilities—they’d create safer, healthier communities for everyone.
Transportation equity is not optional. It’s a moral imperative. As we design for the future, let’s ensure that no one is left waiting—literally or figuratively—on the margins of society.
Thank you,
Michael G Carroll
INCLUSION COACH
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