It is the same way in Chicago as well. I went 2 years without driving a car at all, but obviously taxis were a necessity.

I was actually penalized when I renewed auto insurance for not carrying it for 2 years, despite not owning a car nor driving at all.

Robust public transportation should be a huge initiative for all major cities, and even more so ones that are growing quickly. The efficiencies, environmental impact, and convenience for citizens are too much to ignore.