Sitting (Literally) Behind the Wheel

You can’t escape traffic in Los Angeles. Freeways are busy around the clock. Commuters creep along the city’s 511 miles of freeway, inching their way to their jobs. Presumably more public transportation would help the situation, but the MTA has become the agency everyone loves to hate. The city has hit a financial wall in its efforts to create a Metro Rail system. The debt for the railway has reached $7 billion. Not only did financial troubles suspend construction of three proposed lines indefinitely, but they crippled the bus system.

And then there is the legendary love affair Southern Californians have with their automobiles. Even if commuters had public transportation options, would they park their cars and ride the bus or train? LISA HILL asked some local commuters.

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ROBERT HOWARD lives in Woodland Hills, works in Century City

Getting to work takes me about 45 minutes each way in traffic. On weekends, I can do the same trip in 25 minutes. I usually drive alone because I work unusual hours and sometimes need to go see clients; I need to be flexible and have my own car. One time a truck spilled oil on the San Diego Freeway and it took me about 3 1/2 hours to get home that night. All the canyon roads were jammed. In fact, I was driving up a canyon road where kids were selling lemonade and hot dogs by the side of the road because cars were just bumper to bumper.

To get me to use public transportation, it would have to go where I wanted it to every half-hour. A transportation system that goes from the San Fernando Valley to downtown wouldn’t work for me, but makes the most sense. The tracks are already there for a rail system along that route.

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FRANCIS MACHADO, bus commuter, lives in Los Angeles, works in Topanga

It takes me about two hours to get to work. When there is a lot of traffic, it can make me late to work. I take the MTA’s regular bus, which takes more time, but sometimes I take the express bus that goes on the freeway. With my bus pass, I pay in advance to take the regular bus, but if I take the express bus, it is extra.

I saved enough money to buy a car, but I don’t want to drive. Especially when I am tired, I don’t want to have to drive home after work. I can fall asleep on the bus. When I have to get somewhere, like to a church meeting or rehearsal, I take the express bus.

I don’t like that the buses charge more so that public transportation officials can get paid more. Also, the new buses are less comfortable than the old ones. The chair backs hurt my neck when I try to sleep. The holding bars for standing passengers are too high to reach. Some of the buses are not air-conditioned.

Most of the people who ride the bus have to get into work around 8 a.m., so in the morning the buses are full. Between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., the buses are very full. When they are full, you can be waiting at the bus stop for an hour. Three or four buses can go by and be too full to stop.

If the city had a rail system, I would take it because it would be faster. I like taking the Red Line and the Blue Line; they take half the time of the buses.

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RICHARD PERAZA lives in Fontana, works in Downey

It takes me an hour to an hour and 15 minutes to get to work. When you traverse a great length of freeway, many factors come into play. One traffic accident can add 20 to 30 minutes.

When I worked downtown, I was part of a vanpool. I liked it; it gave me an opportunity to sleep during my commute. There is also a sense of companionship. The only drawback is that you must arrive on time to the vanpool. Using the carpool lane, we managed to shave about 20 to 30 minutes off every day. When I started working in Downey, the first thing I looked into was vanpools; none go where I live.

I looked into public transportation. Nothing was convenient, so I drive to work.

For me to take public transportation, it has to go where I want and it would have to do that reasonably close to when I want to get there.

I haven’t looked into carpools yet. For one thing, the seats in a compact car have lower backs and are less comfortable than a van. There are fewer people, so you end up having to talk to the driver. I like the idea of public transportation. I like the train; I just wish it came here.

Every few weeks, I telecommute, which my company encourages. Not only does it cut down on commuting time and air pollution, but it also allows for greater productivity.

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SEAN PLEASANT lives in Northridge, works downtown

It takes me about an hour to drive to work. There is no light traffic day, but on a high traffic day it can take an hour and a half. It only throws me off that much because I’m kind of one of those mad drivers that dodge in and out of traffic to try to make up for lost time.

I do not take public transportation for financial reasons. I’ve explored MetroLink and the bus. The MetroLink is $180 and the bus about the same. It’s more cost-effective for me to just drive to work and pay $80 a month for parking.