Houston's transit system, called METRO, was until 2004, the largest US transit system without some sort of train service. Since Jan. 2004, the METRO Red line which runs 7 miles from the University of Houston-Downtown to the Park and Ride lot immediately south of the South Loop West Freeway has been called among other things, a "useless trolley". I wouldn't call it entirely useless, as I've seen it fully loaded numerous times. It stops Downtown, at the Greyhound Station, the Ensemble Theater, the Wheeler Ave. Transit Center, the Museum District, Hermann Park, Rice University, the Texas Medical Center, and the Reliant Sports Complex. A few days ago, construction started on the expansion of the light rail system. Four new lines will be constructed, bringing light rail access to places such as Northline Mall, The Galleria, UH, TSU, and the East End. That should all be completed around 2012. Also, people in Houston can't seem to figure out how to NOT hit the train, or get hit by it.
While I attend the University of Houston-Downtown, I rarely use the train. I find using the car is more direct from my house, and quicker than the train. The only times I've used the train are to avoid expensive parking fees at the Car Show and Rodeo, to avoid expensive parking at a hospital in the Medical Center while visiting a friend in the hospital, and for class trips to places along the rail line such as the art museum. As for heavy commuter rail, that's taking a while, lines adjacent to US 90A, TX-3, and US 290 are being considered. Politics as usual gets in the way of that.
This is sad, but Houston is FINALLY getting TRUE express airport bus service from Downtown. That'll come in August, but only one airport, Bush Intercontinental, will see that service. We'll see if Hobby Airport will get the same treatment later on. We're also getting a whole bunch of hybrid buses. We just took delivery of about 50 New Flyer Low Floor 40ft Hybrid Transits. In the next 2-3 years, we'll add 102 MCI D4500CTH hybrid commuter coaches to the fleet, as well as 96 Orion hybrid transit buses.