Letter: Getting by without an automobile

Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2005 | 9:28 a.m.

My husband and I choose not to own a car, and, yes, you can get by in this city without one. My husband is fortunate to belong to a reliable car pool, and, for $20 a week, gets to and from work promptly.

I do my grocery shopping online and have my order delivered to my door on the day of my choosing. My husband's pay is deposited directly into our checking account, and I pay our bills via online banking.

Once a month or so, we rent a car for a long weekend (we choose the company that picks us up, takes us to the rental car company, then brings us back home when we return the car) and consolidate all our errands: trips to the hair salon, library, medical appointments, etc.

When we don't have a rental car, we call a cab and receive door-to-door service and can have that extra cocktail at the casino since we won't be driving home. One resource we don't use, however, is CAT bus service. Why? Since we live in Henderson, it almost always takes at least two buses to get anywhere.

The bus often runs late, causing the rider to miss his connection. Many of the bus stops have no shelter, causing you to wait in the hot sun in summer. The buses often break down, causing long delays. My husband, who is a cab driver, hears many of these same comments from local fares.

With a little planning, you can get by without a car in Las Vegas, but don't count on the bus service here if you need to get somewhere on time. I am looking forward to the day when we have access to reliable, convenient public transportation.

Patricia Ducharme

Henderson