Places where the population is dense generally have much better public transportation, in the US. I've lived in the deep south for over 8 years and occasionally someone will mention "taking the bus" and it gets me every time. I've seen exactly three buses in those 8 years. Probably all the same bus, but three different times.

Los Angeles is an outlier, but it still has trains and buses, just less than I remember San Francisco having. If I were offered a job in Dallas/Ft Worth I'd honestly look into public transportation there beforehand. I cannot stand driving through and in those cities at all.