I can remember the first time that I took the bus: I was 13 years old and had my first job in Encino. Because work was too far away in biking-distance and both my parents worked, the only option left was to take the bus. Shortly afterward, I discovered Weird Al’s “Another One Rides the Bus” and thought that no one could have summarized the experience more eloquently.
“Public wisdom” as of the last few years was that ‘only poor people take the bus’, that ‘nobody walks in LA’. I’ve never been an advocate for derogatory terms or assumptions of others myself; which is why I must admit to having slight joy in knowing that those with sharp suits or pearlized eyeshadow are regularly partaking of systems that weren’t available even five years ago. In a way, the brunt of the current economic crunch has eliminated the stigma of frequently utilizing public transit. Money is an issue for everyone.
In perusing classified sections for further perspective on the issues of money and what’s considered to be competitive salary (a blatant insult, and yet another subject entirely), it can be easy to take the cynical route and worry oneself into a deep financial hole. Some companies, however, have come to the aid of their worker bees and have since been offering incentives for ridesharing, cycling, or taking the bus to work - which saves money for you and looks good for them - making daily commutes and monetary issues a little less stressful. (Need a little assistance with your boss? Do some prodding; per Metro information, call (213) 922-2811.)
Per AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report, the average rate for regular fuel in California was $2.80 last year, and we - yours truly included - were freaking out then. With the current average at around $3.92/gal, we must accept that gone are the days are $1.15/gal (or for my folks’ generation, $0.25/gal). Los Angeles seems to have taken a page from other big cities like San Francisco, New York City, and Chicago in response to the need for adequate, extensive public transportation. Metro will be holding community meetings in the next two weeks with the aim of transit extension in the Westside, so this will be good opportunity to urge what would be a fabulous improvement to the city:
“Metro will provide an update to the public on its alternatives analysis to date for the possible extension of the subway to the Westside, including draft staff recommendations. [...]
“These new round of meetings will present to the public the refined set of alternatives that will be recommended for further study and a schedule for future steps. [...] In the fall, Metro will present the Alternatives Analysis Report and its recommendations to its board of directors, which may then authorize a full environmental review.”
With summer break ending and the prospect of even the normal amount of traffic weighing itself upon us yet again, perhaps it would be a good time to consider the options now available, for the benefit of your wallet and as well as your mood. Reading, studying, returning a phone call, and applying your make-up probably isn’t the safest bet behind a wheel, but is a lot more feasible behind a fellow passenger in transit. And with the prospect of an extension comes the potential of bringing a rather spread-out Los Angeles down to scale.
Source: Metro.net
Photo by jimw
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