‘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: USC
Occupation: Technology
Location: San Fernando Valley
Your Transit Routine:
How often do you take transit and for what purpose?
3-4 times per week.
Where are you typically traveling from and going to?
Work.
What lines/routes do you take?
Red Line and Line 754.
How long does it typically take?
45-50 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?
Save money, avoid 101 freeway.
Other Transportation:
Do you use any other forms of alternative transportation?
A lot of walking.
Are you car-free? If so, why? If not, why not?
No way! I have to work late some nights, and waiting 20 minutes between buses/rail is too long.
Your Perspective:
If you could make one change to improve your transit experience, what would it be?
Some bus stops like Vermont/Wilshire do not have enough covered space at the stop. It would be nice on a hot day to have a little more shade. More displays showing when the next bus will arrive.
Given limited funds, how would you address L.A.’s transportation issues?
Rail, rail, rail and more rail! I tell everyone the answer is rail, forget the Bus Riders Union people! Rail is faster than the bus, almost always on time, the display shows when the next train will arrive.
Do you think L.A. transit is better or worse since you started riding? What’s changed?
I think it is better, there are more Rapid lines. TAP is awesome! No more waiting for people fumbling with dollar bils, coins, ect. to get on a bus.
How would you encourage Angelenos to use transit?
Take the Gold Line on a weekend, it stops close to a ton of cool food and cultural destinations. Rail is great for weekday work commuting. I convinced my sister to ride the Blue Line to downtown, and she stopped driving most days.
Categories: Feedback, Metro Lifestyle, Surveys, Why You Ride
“TAP is awesome! No more waiting for people fumbling with dollar bils, coins, ect. to get on a bus.”
Oh how I wish…
Can we get an update on the cash purse? TAP is useless until its main feature goes online. This should be one of the agency’s highest priorities (if not the highest). We need a deadline to be made public and some accountability from the top.
I take rail all the time
do we have enough budget to build rail extensive.
among rail sations, we still need buses
Before we can build extensive rail system (which I doubt it will happen), local bus connections are needed.
Don’t put so much on one basket
Looks like MTA is doing that