It's not just the cost of public transportation, but also the convenient of it. If it's not convenient it's also not worthwhile or just flatly impossible to use. The public transportation system (the buses) in Charlotte started at around 8am and were back in their base by 10pm. Where my husband worked he couldn't have used it if he wanted to. Day shift started at 4:45am and ended at 3:45pm. 2nd shift started at 3:45pm and ended at 2:45am. No way to use the public transportation system. Charlotte did built one light rail line (southern part of the city) which is has been successful. However they want to build two more lines. The 1 will most likely eventually get built, but right now they can't get funding for it. The 2nd line is never going to get built for two reasons that I am aware of. First several towns that it will run through near will not help fund it because the return they will see to them does not give them enough return for their investment. The 2nd is because the freight railroads that use and actually own the tracks have said no you aren't going to use our lines and interfere with our schedules.