eh, having lived in both chicago and nyc, chicago's transit system is pretty much on par with nyc to me. MTA is all built around going to and from manhattan and it can be a struggle if you have to do something else, like going from parts of queens to brooklyn. Chicago's hyperrational grid and busses make up pretty well for the gaps in the L. now the cabs in new york, nothing beats them (although these days more and more cabbies don't seem to actually know the city very well)