[nabs-l] Considering UT Dallas in Richardson

[Misty Dawn Bradley]

Hi all, 
In another year, I will be completing my associates degree in social work at my local community college, and I am planning to transfer to a four-year university for my bachelor degree. I hope to double-major in social work and elementary education if possible. I am looking into the University of Texas at Dallas, which is in Richardson, Texas. Has anyone on this list lived near or ever attended this university? How is the public transportation and renting of apartments off campus? I did some research online, and some say that Richardson doesn't have as much in regards to transportation except for perhaps the park and ride station for DART, so that is why I am asking, because I keep getting mixed opinions on buses and housing. I also looked at DART's site, but they don't list things by city, so it was hard to tell. Also, is it difficult to find an apartment there? I won't be living on campus because I have a child, so on-campus dorms are not really an option for me. 
If Richardson is not a good place for what I am looking for, is there another University of Texas campus in Dallas itself or another city in the Dallas/Fort Worth area that has more transportation? I looked into Irving, as they seem to have more transportation, but there doesn't seem to be a University of Texas campus there, and the University of Dallas in Irving is a private university, and I am looking for public universities due to lower costs. 
Thank you in advance for your help, 
Misty