If you’re moving to Chicago, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is whether to get a car or commute with the city’s many other options. Many Chicagoans choose to forego the expense of owning or leasing a vehicle and instead take advantage of the city’s robust public transportation system, its walkability, and the many bicycle lanes and paths to get around. To help you make the best decision for your daily transpiration, here are some benefits, drawbacks, and alternative options.
Benefits of having a car in Chicago
There are plenty of benefits to having a car in Chicago. Driving allows you easy access to the metropolitan area’s many neighborhoods and suburbs that are filled with great restaurants and fun attractions, not to mention quick and easy runs to the grocery store and your daily commute to and from work. And, thanks to Chicago’s grid system, the city is relatively simple to navigate even for newer residents who aren’t yet very familiar with the streets, avenues, and boulevards. Having your own set of wheels also lets you take day trips to nearby Wisconsin and Indiana, which are less than an hour away from the city.
Another advantage to having a car in the Windy City is, of course, the weather. Although Chicago’s climate is great for people who walk or bike throughout much of the year, the winters often bring snow, ice, and subzero windchills that might make you want to hop into a nice, warm vehicle. However, if you can find alternative transportation from December through February, you might want to avoid getting a car, as there are a few drawbacks like high costs, gridlocked traffic, and the frustrating hunt for a parking space.
Drawbacks to having a car
Just like there are advantages to having a vehicle, there are some drawbacks to having a car in Chicago. Here are a few to keep in mind as you determine whether to get a car:
- Cost. If you’re on a budget, you might not want expenses like your lease or loan, insurance, fuel, and maintenance to hit your wallet.
- Traffic. Like any big city, Chicago’s streets and expressways get pretty congested. If the thought of sitting in gridlock makes your skin crawl, it might be better to find alternate modes of transportation.
- Parking. Over three million people live in Chicago, and many are drivers who must compete for parking spots. If you’re moving to an apartment that doesn’t have a parking lot or sits on a parking permit-only street, hunting for a space to put your car into every day might not be worth it to you. However, neighborhood-based social media groups frequently have information on rentable parking places if you’re set on getting a car.
Speaking of parking, if you’re new to Chicago, you should familiarize yourself with the unwritten rule of dibs. This polarizing concept basically means that if you dig the snow out of a parking spot on the street during the winter, that spot is yours. Some Chicagoans put chairs, statues, and other semi-disposable items right on the street to reserve their spaces.
We’re staying out of the dibs debate. However, as the best movers in Chicago, we help people settle into new homes all across the metropolitan area, and dibs do sometimes prevent us from parking our moving trucks!
Reasons you might not need a car in Chicago
So, do you need a car in Chicago? It’s a tough question, particularly now that you have some benefits and drawbacks to consider. If you’re still on the fence about getting a vehicle, there are some additional ways you can get to and from work, social outings, or wherever else you want to go.
Great public transportation system
Eight train lines and 128 bus routes make the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) one of the top public transportation systems in the country. You can get just about anywhere in the city 24 hours a day, seven days a week by hopping the infamous “L” train (unless the subway or a bus is more convenient for you).
The local transportation system is also suburb-friendly for residents who need to frequently travel outside of city limits. If your daily commute takes you into the burbs, look into the Pace Bus system, which serves 247 different municipalities in six different Illinois counties. If the train life is more your style, check out Metra, which can take you as far north as Kenosha, WI, west to Elburn, IL, and south to Joliet, IL.
Alternatives to having a car
Public transportation isn’t convenient or desirable for everyone, and fortunately, Chicago offers some alternatives for carless folks, including:
- Divvy, a bike share system that lets you rent a bicycle from more than 1,000 stations throughout Chicago and enjoy the over 400 miles of bike lanes in the city.
- Scooter sharing so you can cruise the streets on your way to work or just enjoy the town on a day off.
- Zipcar, which lets you pay by the hour if you need to run a few errands and need some cargo room.
These options are available in many of Chicago’s neighborhoods, and for residents who are open to these different modes of transpiration, they’re convenient and wallet-friendly ways to get around.
You focus on your transportation and we’ll focus on your move
Do you need a car in Chicago? The jury is still out, and the answer is unique to each individual person. While you consider the pros, cons, and alternatives to having a vehicle, let us help you plan your move! If you’re moving within the metropolitan area, we can take care of the packing and transportation. And if you’re moving to our fair town from out of state, we’ll meet you at your new Chicago house, apartment, or condo and provide unloading service to help you settle into your Windy City dwelling.
Contact us today for a free estimate!