‘Why You Ride (or Don’t Ride)‘ is a series where you, our faithful readers, share your transportation routines in L.A. and your thoughts on how to make things better – read more about the concept here.
Want to share your story? Take the survey here if you ride transit regularly, or take this one if you don’t ride.
Who You Are:
Name: Jonathan
Occupation: Government
Location: Studio City
Your Transit Routine:
How often do you take transit and for what purpose?
I take transit every weekday to work. I take transit on weekends when convenient, particularly if I am going to Hollywood.
Where are you typically traveling from and going to?
I most often travel from work to home.
What lines/routes do you take?
I take the Red Line most often, but also the Purple Line, 720, 750, 20, 50, 704, 4 and 2.
How long does it typically take?
My daily commute is 20 minutes on the Red Line, from Universal to 7th/Figueroa.
Briefly, how would you describe your typical transit experience? Love it, deal with it, or hate it?
I love it!
On average, what do you spend each month on transportation?
$100 – $300
Why do you take transit?
I take transit to save money, avoid having to find parking, help the environment, reduce stress, avoid traffic and for exercise (I ride my bike to the station).
Other Transportation:
Do you use any other forms of alternative transportation?
Bicycle.
Are you car-free? If so, why? If not, why not?
No, there are still some things that require a car. Many destinations are not well served by transit.
Your Perspective:
If you could make one change to improve your transit experience, what would it be?
More rail service and rapid bus lines.
Given limited funds, how would you address L.A.’s transportation issues?
More rail service and exclusive/semi-exclusive bus lanes serving the most congested areas should be priorities. Costly extensions of rail service beyond the urban core should not be a priority.
Do you think L.A. transit is better or worse since you started riding? What’s changed?
Much better. Rapid bus service and expansion of rail lines have made travel faster and easier.
How would you encourage Angelenos to use transit?
Again, more rail service and rapid bus lines.
Categories: Feedback, Metro Lifestyle, Surveys
“Costly extensions of rail service beyond the urban core should not be a priority”. Amen! Every time I see the #4 bus, jammed with passengers and stuck in traffic on Santa Monica at Western, I wonder why it is “In the Works” to spend a billion dollars to extend the Gold Line to Whittier, through one of the less densely populated areas of Los Angeles County (by MTA’s own research.) Only politics could have generated such a perverse priority.