Oklahoma City residents used to 70-mile commutes are turning to carpooling as gas hovers at $4 a gallon. But with the largest land area of any U.S. city, providing public transit remains a major challenge.
"With several refineries in the region, years of cheap fuel have made it possible for many people to live far from their jobs."
"Now the situation is unraveling."
"Due to its sheer size, public transportation is a tough prospect in Oklahoma City."
"City Manager Jim Couch says that at 627 square miles, Oklahoma City has the third greatest land mass of all U.S. cities."
"It also ranked last among 50 U.S. cities in a recent study on areas best able to cope with high oil prices."
"The study, published by the economic development group Common Current, starts from the premise that cities with strong public transit systems will likely remain competitive in the face of soaring gas prices."
"Best able to survive and thrive are the highly populated cities in which people can get by without cars: San Francisco, New York and Chicago ranked 1, 2 and 3, respectively."
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