‘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: “Lazyoldtabby”
Occupation: Web site developer
Location: San Gabriel Valley

Your Transit Routine:

How often do you take transit and for what purpose?

Five days a week to work.

Where are you typically traveling from and going to?

Covina or Industry Metrolink station to Mariposa/Nash Green Line station in El Segundo.

What lines/routes do you take?

Metrolink San Bernardino or Riverside line, Red/Purple line, 405X, and the Green Line. Occasionally I take the Purple Line and the 720/920 to Beverly Hills.

How long does it typically take?

1 hour 2o minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes.

Briefly, how would you describe your typical transit experience? Love it, deal with it, or hate it?

I deal with it.

On average, what do you spend each month on transportation?

$100 – $300

Why do you take transit?

Transit takes about the same time as freeway during peak hours, but cost less.

Other Transportation:

Do you use any other forms of alternative transportation?

No.

Are you car-free? If so, why? If not, why not?

No. Because “car-free” freaks out the consumer auto industry and they’ll lobby against public transit even harder if we declare “car-free”. Besides, cars are convenient when shopping for grocery and supplies, visiting your friends whenever you want to and they take you to off beat places.

Your Perspective:

If you could make one change to improve your transit experience, what would it be?

Get to work faster.

Given limited funds, how would you address L.A.’s transportation issues?

Create better service for those who are willing to pay more for faster service.

For example: Line 720 is so jammed during peak traffic hours. I’d pay up to $5 per trip for a more upscale bus ride for a less claustrophobic experience and faster service. Currently I’m paying extra for Line 450X because it’s fast and worth every penny.

Also, post easy-to-read instructions for finding time-of-arrival information from train and bus stations

Save money by eliminating Transit TV.

Do you think L.A. transit is better or worse since you started riding? What’s changed?

About the same.

How would you encourage Angelenos to use transit?

Work with ride share programs for corporations near train stations.

Work with news stations to provide train information to events.

Post billboards at freeway hotspots.

The trip planner should show a combination of driving and public transit directions, like how to drive from home to a train station then take the train to work. Currently Google Map does not do that.