‘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: Manny T
Occupation: Talent Management Assistant
Location: Studio City

Your Transit Routine:

How often do you take transit and for what purpose?

Everyday to and from work and to bars if I’m going out in Hollywood or near me in the Valley. Only and idiot risks a DUI.

Where are you typically traveling from and going to?

Studio City to Hollywood/West Hollywood.

What lines/routes do you take?

218 is the line I take most. The 750, 150 and Red Line combo are the second most traveled.

How long does it typically take?

218 takes 15 minutes or less normally. 150-Red Line to Hollywood/Vine can take as little as 20 minutes if the stars are aligned properly.

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?

Saves money, I can sleep or read instead of stress other idiots in traffic. Also, again it makes a good designated driver if you are going out to bars near home but not near enough to walk.

Other Transportation:

Do you use any other forms of alternative transportation?

Skateboard.

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

I am currently car-free. I seem to buy one every couple of years and get fed up with driving in LA because it is a total joke and get rid of it. I grew up in Chicago and just can’t shake the memory of being able to take trains everywhere.

Also, work is at the other end of the 218 and I live right by it. It would take longer to drive and park than it does to take the 218 to and from work.

Your Perspective:

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

RUN LATER INTO THE NIGHT. The Red Line stopping service at 12:30am is absolutely idiotic. It’s like you want people to drive to bars and crash into people. Every real city in this country has at least two all night trains that can take you to the general vicinity of any part of the city (north, south, east, or west).
The Red Line’s route is littered with bars and apartments/homes and would probably cut down on the drunk driving death rate considerably if people knew they could conveniently take a train to and from the night life.

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

Run the trains later. The Purple Line all the way to the beach in Venice would stop tourists I give directions to looking at me like I’m joking when I tell them there is no train that comes close to the beach from Downtown/Hollywood.

A train that actually stops in LAX and runs the length of the 405 would be EASY to do if you literally run it in the middle of the 405.

Finally, another rail line that runs the length of Sunset Blvd. and hits Dodger Stadium, Hollywood, Sunset Strip, Century City Business Park Area, UCLA, Santa Monica and terminates at Santa Monica Pier that runs ALL NIGHT. Would be a crown jewel.

Oh and enough with the more freeway lanes. They are a waste of money and do NOTHING for congestion anyway. More RAIL LINES.

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

It’s gotten better. There’s been some improvements in the quality of the buses and trains. There is still A LOT to do.

How would you encourage Angelenos to use transit?

It would be case by case. I can’t offer a blanket recommendation because lines don’t run frequently enough nor late enough for me to do that.

If someone was looking for an easy way to get to work and lived and worked near the same line like I do, I would encourage them to do that because $3 a day beats what you’ll end up spending on gas.