As you likely know, the Delta variant of COVID-19 is driving an increase of positive cases in Los Angeles County.

•If you still need to get vaccinated, there are seven free vaccination clinics that Metro has helped set up at transit stations. The list of locations, hours and other key details are here.

•Masks or face coverings are required to ride Metro, as per federal requirements. We have installed mask dispensers on the system.

•In a sign of how serious the COVID-19 situation is becoming, County Supervisor Board Chair Hilda Solis on Wednesday issued an executive order that all county employees get vaccinated.

•A motion was also introduced Wednesday for consideration by the L.A. City Council that would require that people prove they are vaccinated before entering a variety of indoor spaces.

In Metro news…

•Metro Micro — our relatively new on-demand service — is proving popular with fares of $1. But some riders have experienced wait times longer than our goal of 15 minutes. More info here.

•The draft environmental study has been released for a light rail line to the southeastern cities in L.A. County — the project’s known as West Santa Ana Transit Corridor. More info here, including the routes under study and how to submit an official public comment.

•The enviro studies for the 405 ExpressLanes project officially launched earlier this week. Learn more about the project here and how to officially comment.

•Big win for the Dodgers and new pitcher Max Scherzer over the cheatin’ Astros last night. And big upcoming series at Dodger Stadium against the Angels this weekend as the Dodgers chase the Giants in the standings. The Dodger Stadium Express will be running from both Harbor Gateway and Union Station — all the info you need here.

•The piano at Union Station has reopened for public play. Metro Art invited five local pianists to take the piano for a spin — and five pretty awesome performances resulted. Check ’em out:

•Note to readers and editors: Metro Operators are crucial to keeping LA moving. Metro is currently hiring more than 500 bus operators and is offering a $1,000 bonus for coming aboard. This is a great career opportunity. Metro offers competitive hourly rates starting at $17.75 for part-time bus operators and benefits include health insurance, tuition reimbursements, paid training, retirement plan options and part-time flexible hours. Please encourage friends, family and community members to become a part of the Metro team that provides excellence in service and support and keeps our region moving. Apply at metro.net/driveLA.

In the media…

•KCRW aired a seven-minute segment yesterday pondering how public transit in our region can regain riders beyond the pandemic.

•Although not about transportation per se, this NYT podcast looks at how many cities have become so expensive housing-wise — and why infrastructure is so pricey and takes so long to build.

•Lots of media articles the past couple weeks on the $1.2-trillion infrastructure bill being considered by the U.S. The White House has a fact sheet that points out, correctly, the bill would be a huge increase in federal funding of transit and Amtrak. There are also more critical views — including those who argue the bill is also a big increase in spending on roads.

In case you’re wondering what the winner in the bipartisan infrastructure bill is…. the answer is Amtrak! https://t.co/FS4IcFBbRY

— Yonah Freemark (@yfreemark) August 1, 2021

•In the ping-pong that has been federal vehicle air pollution rules over recent presidencies, President Biden is proposing to toughen emissions standards and get a lot more electric vehicles on the road, reports the LAT.