Art for Transit Geeks

Via Curbed LA, a new art installation is going in at LACMA:



Not only is this sculpture every little kid's dream- seriously, thousands of matchbox cars and several toy trains thrown in for good measure- but the artist notes that he's trying to make a statement about the coming end of the car-centered city. The crowded lift ramps evoke traffic-snarled freeways, and the noise (judging from the video) echoes the aggravating din of car-choked city centres.

LACMA is transit-accessible! Take the Metrolink in to LA Union Station, followed by the Purple Line to Wilshire/Western and the 720 to Wilshire & Fairfax. Admission is $15, $10 students and seniors, free on second Tuesdays. This might be a great outing for Metrolink's new Weekend Pass, just $10 for the whole weekend including local transit transfers.

Jarret Walker agrees with me!

Which probably means I'm right. Mr. Walker, the guy behind Human Transit, just posted a stunningly pictorial version of my argument here, saying that MSA's are a really awful way of measuring transit service. He also specifically cites the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA as the prime example of that awfulness, noting not only the vastness of the MSA but the many separate communities that lie within it, "largely experienced by locals as different metros." He cites Riverside/San Berdoo/Ontario and Palm Springs. I'd add in the Victor Valley area, the Barstow area, Needles, and Blythe- all separate communities, all the same MSA.

Sadly, I can't take credit for this post- Mr. Walker is a smart guy, and I'm sure he could come up with the same good idea independently. Still, his posting it pretty much confirms that it's a good idea.

Drive to work, work to drive

It's a reality for many Americans, as reported by The Energy Trap:

Jeff Grant is an ER technician and a paramedic. He lives in Waldoboro, Maine. He works two jobs and his wife works one. Last month between them they spent $760 on gasoline, car payments (for two modest used cars) and car insurance. This month the 50 cent increase in the cost of fuel means they’ll spend about $828 for transportation. That means that Jeff is working one job just so he and his wife can get to their other two. This is astonishing, but there is nothing statistically unusual about his situation--and its implications for the American Dream (for lack of a better word) are stark and depressing.

The article is worth a read, though it does devolve into praising Jeff's "spiritual identity" towards the end. (Seriously, if spirituality is the only choice besides materialism, I am so screwed.) I do have to take issue with one of their statements, though: "Most Americans have no transportation options other than owning a car and buying gasoline, and when prices are high this burden imperils their financial stability and it dampens the entire US economy." Perhaps this is true for rural residents like Jeff, but APTA notes that roughly 51% of Americans have access to public transport. Of the remainder, a sizable percentage could probably bicycle to work or telecommute. Even Jeff, who commutes to two towns, 15 and 30 miles away respectively, could probably find freedom by quitting the more distant of his two jobs and bicycling to the other. (15 miles is admittedly a long ride, but many a cyclist plies the river trail between Davis and Sacramento every day, a 12-mile trip. It's possible.) I'd venture to say that most Americans have options other than owning a car and buying gasoline, but most are unwilling to endure the discomfort and inconvenience of pursuing them.

Anyway, I'll wrap this up with commentary from Canadian indie group Metric:

Bundu Bus?

I've lamented previously on the blog about how truly awful intercity transportation is out here on the West Coast. Trains are daily, if you're lucky, and Greyhound has its limits. The quirky and cheap Chinatown lines that ply their trade between every Northeastern city do exist here in CA, but as only a pale shadow of their Yankee cousins. And if you're car-free and want to visit some of the vast natural wonders that dot our region? You can do Yosemite with a little planning, or buy an expensive package deal with the Grand Canyon Railway, but that's about it.

So imagine my surprise when I put in an LA-SF itinerary in Google Transit (to take a look at the route of the Coast Starlight, and its relation to the coast) and Google spit out a handful of bus trips as well! The service was labeled as "Los Angeles to San Francisco," and Google said it was provided by Bundu Bus. Of course, I clicked on the link.

It seems that a tour operator, Bundu Bashers, has started providing bus service between major cities in the West and- this is the amazing part- the various national parks in the region. They serve Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Arches, Monument Valley, and even Yellowstone. They say that their full system only operates during the summer travel season (April 15-September 30), but even their reduced system serves all those places above, along with Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and Phoenix. Fare is $52 LA-SF, which is in line with what you'll pay on Amtrak, but the trip is somewhat quicker.

One of their better deals, which I'm suddenly terribly interested in, is the "Hop-On Hop-Off" pass, providing unlimited travel on their system for 4, 7, 14 or 30 days. I may just spend some time soon flitting about the southwest on Bundu Bus. It's also really cool to see places like West Yellowstone, MT on Google Transit.

Downtown LA terminal is at 8th/Maple. Take the Metro 733 from Chavez/Alameda to 8th/Main, walk east one block and south one block.

Memories

2010-12-23 12.23.35, originally uploaded by plattypus1.

While stopping by my parents' bank on the way to San Francisco, I noticed (and snapped a photo of) this little cutaway, VVTA #2007. This bus is serving a route that was very important in my life, the #21 Tri-Community. It's this bus that would call on my hometown, with 24-hour advance reservation, and allow my young self to get to places I otherwise couldn't- cross-country practice in 6th grade, an after-school job in sophomore year, hanging out with friends at the local pathetic-excuse-for-a-mall, even a date or two. Over the summer of 2004, this was the bus that brought my then-girlfriend (six years of marriage this month!) and I together. Growing up, I had no car in an area where one was a practical requirement. That said, I'm an impractical sort- so it was often that I turned to VVTA.

Thanks, public transit, for keeping me from going stir crazy so many times.

2010: The Year in Transit

You know I had to. Here's a look back on Riding in Riverside's second full year of raging against a very specific machine.

In January, I covered the slashing of IE-OC Line Metrolink service (and got in the LA Times for it), wrote about how green and automobile ought not be used in the same sentence, and found a still-elusive feature of LA's TAP card.

In February, I asked why, in my relatively walkable neighbourhood, people don't walk, celebrated the first Zipcars in the IE, and noted the differences between those who cycle for fun and those who cycle to get around.

In March, I noted the experience of fellow UCR students heading home from the March Forth Rally, approvingly noted the approval of both a new transit centre and mixed-use development, and I had a moment of bike-related frivolity.

In April, I took a personal tour of RTA's Third Street operations and learned a bit while I was at it, shared my perspectives on biking San Francisco, and proposed a liquor tax to fund late-night transit.

In May, I ranted about auto addiction, ranted about the state of American social services, and the persistent-but-irritating myth of empty buses.

In June, I reported on residential obstruction on the Perris Valley Line, tried to encourage others to give up their car, and contrasted the airport transit experiences of LA and New York.

In July, I mused on what a sustainable civilization would look like, suggested a few ways to make Riverside more bike-friendly, and pitched the Eco-Pass to city leaders.

In August, I tried to find balance in a bike-crazy blogosphere, pointed out why March Field is a lousy site for HSR (and got featured on the CA HSR blog), and told our city officials to take the cars off welfare, starting with their own.

In September, I wrote about Riverside's illegible network, celebrated San Bernardino County's Google Transit victory, and suggested local preference policies for Riverside.

In October, I ranted about skaters in the bike lane and cyclists on the sidewalk, reported on an eventful Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting, and an election of some kind garnered mention.

In November, I called for riders to stop calling themselves commuters, reported on some disappointing electoral results, and relayed the sad story of a parking lot owner whose subsidized parking was stolen from him.

In December, I was mostly quiet- thanks a lot, parents who refuse to drive on highways served by cell service. However, I did manage to review Metrolink's new fleet, defend the initial CA-HSR segment in the Central Valley, and tell you why you should care about the difference between the federal and California MUTCD's.

That's 2010, the year that was. May 2011 bring you less suckage and more transit!

Guardian Fleet Review

So, last week I posted that I was going to get back into the habit of blogging. Finals week caught up with me and knocked that idea straight out of my head for a while, but with all that behind us, let me return with the post I intended to write: A review of the new Metrolink Guardian Fleet.

Last week, Metrolink took the new Hyundai-Rotem-made cars on a tour about the southland, and I joined them for the Monday leg of the tour in the San Fernando Valley.

First off, these cars are quite a sight to behold. The stainless steel cars, painted in the new aqua-wave colour scheme, stand out among the white Bombardier coaches at Union Station. The aesthetic is almost like one of Amtrak's Superliner consists, and I've always thought those were quite sleek and shiny. (Never mind the fact that many are nearly 40 years old.) The crash energy management bit of the cab car is a touch ugly, but another railfan suggested that it was designed to look like a locomotive in order to discourage the clueless from thinking the train was moving away from them.



The new interior colour scheme is also a refreshing change, from the increasingly drab purple-and-grey coaches to a cabin full of bright blues. Not only do the new seats look better, but they're more comfortable as well- or, at least, they will be. The foam still needs some time to break down. The headrests are high enough that 182cm (6') tall me is finally able to rest my head on them- something not possible in the old cars for me. On-board amenities haven't changed at all- you're still offered drinking water, one restroom per car and electrical outlets. For those of you who want to charge up that phone or get some work done on your laptop, outlets are located at four seats on the lower level (towards the end of the car), as well as at each table on the mezzanine and upper levels. The new restroom is much larger, and the toilet flush no longer sounds as if it is connected to the intake of a small jet engine. One quibble, though- the A/C unit in the cars is rather loud, especially on the upper level.



One of the nicest things about the new cars is the new high-intensity amber directional signs. You'll notice that the signs give train number, origin and destination stations in clear, bright yellow. Metrolink riders will immediately notice the contrast with the current dull, dim green signs that don't provide origin or train numbers. These will be especially helpful at terminal stations like San Bernardino and Riverside-Downtown, where the sheer number of parked trains often confuses infrequent riders. Also in the "better wayfinding for passengers" category, the new trains are equipped with automated announcements in clear, precise English. While the exhortations not to put your feet on the seats every few stops can get old (especially when your train is running express from LA Union to Moorpark), the new automated announcements will most certainly be a welcome antidote to broken or inaudible PA systems, or that one conductor who everybody's had at least once- "Nrmms srmrmmr Rrmrmmrmmrmm Dermmrmrmrm."



The safety aspect of the new cars is what Metrolink and other news outlets are playing up, and that's fine. This is an excellent move to pander to a media and public culture that sees a train crash every few years and thinks "Oh my stars, the train is so very dangerous that I better drive!" Of course, rail travel remains the safest way to travel in the country, by a HUGE margin, but the purchase of these new cars (which are sorely needed on capacity grounds anyway) should go some distance towards assuaging the anxieties of a car-crazed region. Personally, I feel much safer on any given Metrolink car than in my own auto, any time of the day, any day of the week.

As far as the actual trip? It was far too much fun. The train was mostly empty, but those who showed up were either press or fellow railfans. We had some 10 cameras out at Moorpark station recording the northbound Coast Starlight. 'Twas fun. Also, we did get to tour both the crumple zone bit at the front of the cab car, and the cab itself (which is on the upper level rather than the mezzanine in the new cars). Want to know what the engineer's view looks like?



More photos on FlickRiR, and a very brief quote from yours truly at the LA Daily News. I wish she'd tossed in a URL.

A triumphant return!

With the impending cessation of UCR's fall term, I find myself suddenly less busy. You all know what that means- more blogging!

My return will be spectacular indeed. Today, I'm aboard the inaugural run of Metrolink's new Guardian Fleet cars (the Hyundai Rotem coaches, for those of you who follow such things). I'll be writing up a full review of my day of train-geekery, complete with photos and video, upon my return to Riverside this evening.

For those of you who want to check out the new cars for yourself, they'll be out in the IE on Wednesday morning, and in the OC on Thursday. You can catch them in San Bernardino at 8:30, and in Riverside (downtown) at 11:30. No guarantees, but those of you who take a look in San Bernardino might be able to talk your way into a ride down to Riverside. Doesn't hurt to ask, right?

(Sadly, I won't be able to attend the Riverside or OC events.)

Stuff the Bus!

I'm a little late with this, but there's still time! Operation Safehouse, a local charity that provides services for at-risk youth in our community, is holding a migrating Stuff the Bus event around the city today. RTA loans them a bus, and you folks stuff it full of the stuff they need to help out their clients.

Operation Safehouse are the folks that are responsible for all of those little yellow Safe Place stickers on the buses you see around. They provide a shelter and resources for teens in crisis in the Greater Riverside area, and have just opened up a new facility out in the Palm Desert area as well. They're a fantastic organization, and you should drop by any of the following locations that they'll be at today and donate some supplies so they can keep doing what they're doing:

3 pm Riverside City Hall, 3900 Main St.
4 pm Kaiser Permanente, 10800 Magnolia Ave.
5 pm Riverside City Plaza, at 3535 Riverside Plaza Dr., at Regal Theaters

67

I've written before about the transportation inequities just within our own city. While cars get plentiful infrastructure (varying in maintenance) everywhere, the experiences of pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders vary wildly with the neighbourhood they inhabit, and are especially poor in areas like Casa Blanca and Arlanza, where alt-transport is desperately needed.

So how bad is it out there?

I was out canvassing for Bill Hedrick on Saturday morning in Arlanza. On my way back, I needed to cross Van Buren at Audrey (across from the Wal-Mart). The intersection is right-turn-only for vehicles, so I dismounted my bike and pushed the pedestrian signal. For whatever reason, I also started singing "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall" to myself. (I'm strange.)

When the signal light finally allowed me to cross the busy, high-speed thoroughfare, two complete light cycles had passed- and only 67 bottles of beer remained on the wall.

Something's wrong here.

(By the way, this is post #400 on Riding in Riverside!)

Vegas Travelogue, Part 3: Vegas Transit

The Deuce, originally uploaded by plattypus1.

(You can also catch parts 1 and 2 of my Vegas travelogue, which mostly consist of me griping about traffic.)

Las Vegas is a strange, libertarian fantasyland. Everything on the Strip gleams in bright, shining neon and marble, with clean, well-maintained sidewalks, roads and bridges. Get a block away and the sidewalks are cracked, the streets lined with vacant lots and run-down apartments. The power relationships of the city are written right there on its urban form. But, interestingly enough, the region has a pretty extensive transit system. Because of the significant demand of drunken tourists and low-wage hospitality workers, the all-bus system runs frequently, all day and every day.

It also has the unique characteristic of charging more for visitors than locals, at least along the Strip. The two Strip services, the ACE Gold Line and the Deuce (express and local, respectively), charge a higher fare for out-of-town visitors than they do for Clark County residents.

Anyway, down to the nitty-gritty. The Strip has two services that run along it- the Deuce (local) is a set of double-decker buses (pictured above) that run every 10-20 minutes, 24 hours a day. The ACE Gold Line is a new bus rapid transit system that links downtown Las Vegas with the Strip and the McCarran Airport. Both services share stops and ticket vending machines along the Strip.

Off the strip, the RTC system is mostly a grid-based system, with a sensible numbering system. 100-series routes run mostly north-south, with numbering starting with 101 in the west and moving up as the routes serve further eastward streets. 200-series routes run mostly east-west, starting at 201, with higher numbers moving northwards. Many trunk line routes run at 10-15 minute frequencies, and much of the system is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

So how well does this all work? We stuck around our hotel on Tropicana, a block over from the Strip, and on the Strip itself most of the time. Travelling northbound on the Strip, and off the Strip, was fantastic. Travelling southbound, which we always seemed to do at rush hour, was a nightmare. There was construction at the Bellagio, cutting off just one lane of the 8 lane Strip- and it made traffic a festering hellhole of despair. Furthermore, the stop at the Bellagio was meant to be a stop both for the Deuce and ACE lines, but the ACE line passed us up several times with no more than a fare-thee-well. It seems that the stop was too short for the articulated ACE buses, but no notification to that effect was posted.

The ACE Gold Line buses, however, weren't immune to these horrible traffic maladies. It seems to me that what the Strip really needs is bus lanes. North of the Strip, the ACE runs in a centre-median busway, separated from traffic. In the most traffic-choked parts of the city, though, the bus lanes disappear when they are most needed.

Beyond the transit troubles caused by the construction, it occurred to me that never before have I seen so very many people walking in such a terribly bad pedestrian environment. You see, most intersections on the Strip lack crosswalks, or only have them on one side. There are these pedestrian bridges at most major streets. The trouble with transit in the area, though, is that the grid system necessitates transferring between stops on different corners of the street. Even when they're on the same side of the street, it can be a quarter-mile walk between them. The fact that people nevertheless walk and use transit is an impressive statement of the willingness of people to avoid their automobiles while on vacation, or to the poverty and desperation of hospitality workers in Las Vegas.

Vegas Travelogue, Part 2

I mentioned in the first part of my travelogue that there's no good way to get to Vegas. Today, I'll go over what happens when you take the bad way to Vegas- private automobile on I-15. On the way out there, I picked up my wife at the school where she works (in Magnolia Centre) at 3:00. By the time we hit the CA-91, traffic was already stop-and-go. From Central Ave. to the split with CA-30 (approximately 14 miles and an agonizing half an hour), we were lucky to crawl along at a speed which caused our speedometer to register. After that point, we were largely in the clear until entering Las Vegas itself, where local traffic at the I-15/NV-215 interchange caused some slowing. Of course, the entire drive was characterized by that unique combination of interminable boredom and constant vigilance that marks any long-distance road trip, and it was 4 and a half hours in which I could have been making valuable progress on course readings but was instead staring at asphalt ribbons across salt flats.

I should note that this sort of traffic pattern is particularly problematic for the DesertXPress HSR plan- attentive readers will note that the first phase of the project is planned to terminate in lovely Victorville, CA, notably past the point where we encountered traffic. Angelenos that have to work until 5pm will find the drive across the LA basin to I-15 even more problematic than us IE types, especially since we left at 3pm. Unless DesertXPress is connected to some form of transit infrastructure, it will offer only minimal traffic relief for many. (I can envision a future in which the HSR is fed by both a giant parking garage and San Joaquin-style bus connections to points around the LA metro region, until the Victorville-Palmdale-LAUS connection is constructed. That might work out.)

On the way home, traffic was something other than smooth sailing. From just past the urbanized area of Las Vegas all the way to Primm (the state line), traffic was at a virtual stand-still. It took us over two hours to traverse 25 miles- I quite literally could have biked it faster. Worst of all, there was no discernible reason for the congestion- the road was littered with "Road Work" signs, but we never saw a single road worker, let alone anything that could be described as "working." There was also no evidence of a traffic collision- if such a crash occurred, it did so long before we went through. Because of the sheer volume of traffic on the route, and the lack of alternate routes, traffic conditions remained poor throughout the drive, and there would be random stoppages every so often along the way. The California Agricultural Inspection checkpoint- normally a 5 minute nuisance- took more than half an hour to clear. What was a 4:30 drive on the way out was nearly 8 hours on the return trip. That sort of unpredictability is an inherent problem of an automobile system that is over capacity, and one that desperately screams for alternatives. We need some other way to get out to Vegas. We need to create a class of people who no longer have to care about traffic congestion- and for that, we need an exclusive transitway of some kind, either busway or rail. And we need it yesterday.

In the next instalment, I'll cover my experiences with transit in Las Vegas itself.

Vegas Travelogue, Part 1

There is no good way to get to Las Vegas from Riverside. There used to be- Amtrak's Desert Wind once made daily departures from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and eventually Salt Lake City, where it was combined with the California Zephyr and continued on to Chicago. It moved from daily to thrice-weekly service in 1993, and was finally killed in 1997, and this is a travesty, because it leaves Vegas as the largest city in the West without any form of passenger rail service (unless you count casino trams and the nearly-bankrupt private Las Vegas Monorail), and it leaves thousands of Sin City-bound travellers stuck in unpredictable and interminable traffic on I-15 across the vast Mojave desert.

When planning a trip to Vegas for a friend's wedding last Sunday, I looked in to the alternatives. I really tried hard to find something, anything that would allow me to avoid driving the 15 all the way out there. Here's what I found:

GoToBus.com, via USAsia, Futura and ALT
GoToBus is a site that aggregates a great number of "chinatown" bus companies that provide service along major intercity corridors across the country. They're especially popular in the Northeast, where service can be as frequent as half-hourly along I-95, and the buses run 24-7. They do offer service from two providers that ply I-15 between LA and LV. The problem? I had to return on a Monday, and the bus companies only provide substantial service on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Also, they leave from Los Angeles, not anywhere nearby. One provider leaves from Orange and another from Anaheim, but these schedules are even more limited.

For those who are very flexible in their travel dates and times, you can snag a ride to Vegas for around $50 R/T pp.

Las Vegas Express Bus
Another "chinatown" line, this company provides daily LA-LV service for $45 R/T pp. Once again, they depart Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley, not anywhere in the IE, but the daily nature of their service makes things a little more flexible. Why didn't I use this method of transport? Well, they don't advertise well- I only became aware of their existence because I saw one of their buses on the road while driving home. I'll keep it in mind for my next trip, and you should as well.

LuxBus America
LuxBus provides, as the name suggests, luxury motorcoach service to Las Vegas from LA and Anaheim daily, for $99-$120 R/T pp. The complimentary drinks and snacks onboard during the 5 hour journey sound enticing, but the ride was just too rich for me. Also, they leave out of Anaheim's main bus terminal, which is not exactly easy to get to from Riverside.

Greyhound
The 'Hound, America's primary provider of intercity bus service, is the only provider that operates direct service between Las Vegas and Riverside, to my knowledge. Trouble is, Greyhound doesn't guarantee that you get a seat. On a select few routes back East, you can buy a guaranteed seat for $5, but here you have no such option. If you're travelling at off-peak times, this isn't a worry for you, but if you want to get to Vegas on a Friday night, good luck. It may well be more of a "Saturday morning."

And those are your ground transportation alternatives from SoCal to Las Vegas. Sadly, none of them worked out for my wife and I last weekend, so we were forced into our car for the journey across the sands. More on that later.

Overheard OnBoard 2010-08-15

Crazy Evangelical at University/Lemon: "The gays, they just like to flaunt it. You'd never see a straight couple, for example, kissing on the bus."

Me: "Speak for yourself, man. I'll kiss my wife on the bus every chance I get."

Bus Skeptic is Converted

A defence attorney in Santa Monica learns to overcome the stigma and get on the bus, and finds the ride smooth and pleasant.

From the SM Daily Press.

They need one of these in every subway...

From Volkswagen (yes, the car company) comes a great idea for injecting fun into subway stations:



Too bad somebody in the US would get hurt, or be too fat to fit on it, and would sue the hell out of the transit operator.

Welcome back... to reality.

I'm writing you all from aboard the Metrolink OC Line, on my way home from a whirlwind vacation. First, I hit the Bay Area via Amtrak to see my best friend graduate from CSU East Bay, and then we drove across the country together in order to move her to her new school, Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY. Both of these metro areas have excellent public transport, which I used extensively. Well, a few hours ago I landed in Los Angeles, and I was immediately jolted back to reality. The experiences of airport transit in my departure and arrival cities was markedly different, and I think that a lot of the problems with transit usage here in southern California stem from these differences.

I flew out of LaGuardia this morning. This is the smaller and more poorly-connected airport in New York City, with no rail leading to the airport. (JFK, by contrast, has a direct, but expensive, rail connection to both the NYC subway and the Long Island Railroad.) Despite this fact, the experience using transit at LaGuardia was surprisingly smooth and inviting. Bus connections to the airport were advertised at each subway station they served, with line numbers and directional signs. At the airport, concise information displays offered information on each line serving the area, and the rail lines to which they connected, and stood next to comfortable bus shelters. Inside the terminal stood MetroCard vending machines, allowing passengers to purchase their transit fare without even leaving the airport.

Contrast this with the experience of riding a city bus from LAX. First off, city buses do NOT serve the airport terminals. To get to the admittedly plentiful city bus service at LAX, you have to ride a free airport shuttle- and that shuttle makes no mention of its transit connections, with a destination sign succinctly reading "LOT C". Signs in the terminal itself did not point to the location of city bus service- riders were simply required to know that "LAX Shuttle- Airline Connections" buses connected to both the rail station and the bus centre. Once on the shuttle, transit riders face a 20-odd minute ride, as the shuttle makes several zig-zagged passes through a large remote parking lot before finally stopping next to the bus centre. The stop at the centre lacks a curb or the attractive signage that all of the other parking lot shuttle stops had. The bus centre itself is isolated, dirty, and features several pornography vending machines, but no restrooms and little shade. Fare vending was not available, and I shudder to think of the fate of visitors seeking to buy a Day Pass- which, as we all know, can only be put on a TAP card on Metro buses, and yet Metro buses do not sell TAP cards. Despite decent way-finding information, fare information was conspicuously absent- riders on the 439 Express (which I took) would have had no way of knowing that the fare to downtown was $1.90, rather than the usual $1.25.

The difference here is clear. New York expects a substantial amount of visitors to use their transit system, and so enables them to do so with plentiful information, helpful fare payment, and attractive signs and stops at their port of entry. Los Angeles expects visitors to rent cars, and car rental shuttles were indeed plentiful and attractive. The only people who are expected on LA buses are the folks who work at the airport, and even then probably only those who are economically disadvantaged- they are therefore undeserving of anything more than the most basic amenities.

Southern California, we need to do better. You'll notice that none of these criticisms address the service provided at the LAX bus centre- in fact, aside from the hourly express route that I was waiting for, it seemed that bus service was in plentiful supply to all major corridors. Matters of signs and the like are not huge, ongoing costs- they cost a little bit of staff time to do it right, and an understanding of what transit patrons are looking for at any given location. Transit centres are costly, but they are often paid out of federal funds, and building attractive transit centres is usually no more costly for a local agency than building unattractive ones. It is not a shift of funding, but a shift of priority that is necessary here. We must stop treating public transit as something that only poor people ride, and start treating it as they do in New York and San Francisco- a system that the general public (and indeed, often the upper-middle class) can use in comfort and respectability. More than moving money, we must move minds- and after that, the money will follow.

Want to stop future oil spills? Stop driving. (HOW TO)

Readers of this blog need not be reminded of the direct connection between our nation's automobile obsession and the oil that is currently gushing into said nation's ocean, washing up on her beaches, killing her fragile marine ecosystems and poisoning her citizens- and in Louisiana, a state that really didn't need any more disasters. Of course, it's now affecting Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, too. However, residents of the IE especially may be curious what to do about it. Many in suburbia have lived shackled to our cars for so long that they cannot imagine life without them. So, for those of you who want to do something about America's addiction to oil, but don't know quite where to start, here's a helpful guide.

Step 1: The Commute
Chris Balish, author of "How to Live Well Without Owning a Car", says that if you can "get from your home to your place of employment and back safely and on time without a car, you probably don't need to own one." He makes this point well- the most important trip to most people on most days of the week is their trip to work. So your first challenge is to figure out how to get to work car-free, and it's probably possible.

Your first recourse, especially here in Southern California, is to Google Transit. Every operator in San Bernardino County (except MBTA in Twentynine Palms), and RTA in Riverside County (with Sunline coming soon), is available on Google Transit, as are all of the major agencies in neighbouring Orange and Los Angeles Counties and Metrolink. Just go to maps.google.com just as you would if you were getting driving directions, and when the directions pop up, click the little train icon at the top left of the page. Be sure to set the appropriate date and time- Google defaults to the next available trip, while there may be rush hour service that is much more appropriate. Don't get freaked out by the commute times they give you- remember, when you're driving to work, you can't do anything but drive. If you commute via transit, you can sleep, eat breakfast, get some work done, or do the aimless blog surfing that you're probably doing right now, if you have mobile 'net access (which is cheap these days, and free on many RTA and Foothill commuter buses).

If you live within 5 or so miles of your workplace, consider walking or cycling. Google can help you here, too- next to that train icon are bike and pedestrian icons, and they work the same way. Nearly anyone can cycle 5 miles after only a touch of practise. Don't go out and buy an expensive bicycle, at least at first- used bikes are plentiful and cheap. Check out this guide to buying a used bike.

Take note of the alternatives that you've mapped out, because you'll need them in the next step.

Step 2: Fill Your Toolbox
Now that you know how to get to work and back, fill up your toolbox. Determine what sort of transit pass(es) you'll need, and buy them. If you're only going to commit to taking alternative transport every once in a while, go buy pre-paid day/week/10-Trip passes. The sunken cost of the passes will encourage you to use the system more than if you simply pay cash.

I also highly recommend a decent bicycle. For transportation purposes, look for a road bike with a cargo rack on the back, or better yet, a "hybrid"/commuter bike. The skinny tires will make a difference- I know it seems unlikely, but trust me. The cargo rack and a good set of panniers (bags that attach to the rack) will expand the errand-running and work-stuff-carrying capacity of the bicycle, which can make a big difference. All RTA and Omnitrans buses, Metrolink trains, and most other transit agencies permit bicycles, though a frequent bus user might want to invest in a small folding bike instead. Bus bike racks DO fill up, especially during peak times.

Step 3: Shop Local
There is probably more going on in your neighbourhood than you realize. Find your local grocery store, rather than driving to Costco all the time. Sure, you'll spend more on food, but you'll spend less on gas! Shop several times a week, carrying home just enough for the next few days. It helps if your store is on your route home- I do this all the time. Patronize local restaurants, instead of driving across town for Chinese food. I bet there's somewhere within a reasonable cycling distance that will take care of most of your needs.

Also, if you want to shop in bulk, remember that many stores offer grocery delivery. Currently Albertson's and Vons offer grocery delivery services to Riversiders. Delivery usually costs around $6-$12 depending on when and how you schedule it, and they deliver your online order straight to your door.

Step 4: Learn the System
Now that you've learned your route to work and back, take some time to familiarize yourself with the routes that serve your area. Learn how to get from your house to the mall, to specialty stores, to civic services, to health care, etc. Learn the schedules if you can- most RTA routes are scheduled regularly (though less frequently than I'd like). For example, the 16 north passes the bus stop near my house around 20 and 50 past the hour on weekdays, and the 16 south around 27 and 57, from 5am to 9pm. I don't need to look at the schedule if I'm going anywhere along the 16, and that's anywhere from school to the University Village to the mall to downtown.

For more spontaneous or unfamiliar trips, Google Transit is still an excellent ally, especially if you carry an iPhone, Blackberry or Android smartphone. (All of these support Google Maps, with built-in transit directions.) If you don't, your ordinary cell phone can get text directions from Dadnab in most areas in the LA Basin. Text (323) 863-6221 with your origin and destination.

Step 5: Sell Your Car
Well, you may not get to this point. Hell, even Dani and I haven't been able to, though I rarely drive it. (We may accomplish it after she gets her teaching credential next year, but transit home from CSUSB at 10pm is just non-existent.) However, if you do all of those steps above, you may find that the amount of time you need your car just doesn't justify the expense. Remember that, if there are a few trips every once in a while that force automobility upon you, you can always rent a car- and if you live near UCR, you can join Zipcar (using the link on the right of this page) for even more flexibility. Even if you don't sell your car, though, reducing your usage will help keep our nation's appetite for oil down, and it won't hurt your wallet either.

For those who are just starting to experiment with transit, remember a few things. First, residents of Riverside get substantial discounts off RTA 7- and 30-day passes, but only for local buses. After a brief registration visit to City Hall (near downtown terminal, served by routes 1, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22, 25, 29, 49, 149, 204, 208, 210, 212, and the 50 Jury Trolley), you can order passes online for mail delivery. Second, if your employer provides free parking, there's a strong possibility that they may be required to pay you the value of your parking space if you don't use it. It's called parking cash-out, and it's required by California state law. Also, you and your employer could save on taxes by buying your transit passes with pre-tax Commuter Checks. If your employer does not offer Commuter Checks, tell them to start, and direct them here.

I also strongly recommend the book I referenced at the beginning of this article, Chris Balish's "How to Live Well Without Owning a Car". You can get it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or via Link+ through the Riverside Public Library. Mr. Balish shows how every part of your life can be accomplished without owning your own auto.

If you want to reduce your car dependence, but you're not sure how to do it, feel free to contact me at RidingInRiverside@gmail.com.

Alliance with Auto Addicts?

Wired ran a great post entitled "Why Progressive Transportation Policies are Good for Gearheads" back on Earth Day. I think they make a fantastic point, and wanted to share the article with you.

I see no problem with driving for recreation. Hell, I enjoy a good drive up a windy, deserted mountain road as much as the next guy- especially if I can wheedle my mum's car keys away from her. (Subaru Impreza STI...) Nobody in the transit advocacy world is trying to take away the thrill of a good drive on the weekend.

What we do want to do away with is the dull, traffic-choked commute the other 5 days a week, and really, who's going to argue with that? I'm all for a world in which automobiles are unashamedly souped-up toys, built for the express purpose of having fun tearing around remote roadways in the drivers' free time. Good transit networks actually promote that- by reducing traffic congestion, and reducing the amount that drivers have to pay for gasoline and maintenance just to get through the daily grind. Most people would find that they can afford to buy a much nicer, much more impractical automobile if they only drive it when they want to drive it. (Also, Zipcars are pretty awesome for such impromptu trips, though Riverside doesn't have any sporty Zipcars yet.) A transit-rich world will be a better one for the driver and non-driver alike because, let's be honest, who actually *enjoys* driving around town and on traffic-clogged freeways?

UPDATE: Hey there Streetsblog network! Thanks for stopping by!

Quote for the Day

CJ Maloney, Daily Kos:

I’m in the burbs, though not by choice, sitting in a backyard surrounded by grass and bugs and sunshine. My son wings by in his electronic car with the neighbor’s kid riding shotgun; they’re screaming happily and trying to run over the dog. A bee roughly the size of a small airplane buzzes close – reminding me of my plans to pave over every square inch of the yard and build a subway station under it. God, to show His mercy, has kept me within radio range of the city so at least I can listen to the Mets.

If only every suburbanite wanted to pave their yard and build a subway station under it... must be a New York thing.