Laura SturzaAfter Tim Hicks walked away with...
Laura Sturza
After Tim Hicks walked away with minor bruises from the MetroLink
train that derailed at the crossing of Buena Vista Street and San
Fernando Boulevard on Jan. 6, his wife was not too anxious to have
him use public transit again.
“Now that the price of gas is so high, I’ve convinced my wife to
let me take it again,” said Hicks, an NBC editor who commutes from
Valencia.
He is among many Burbank workers who take advantage of the city’s
free Media District Shuttle, which connects MetroLink riders to their
offices, the airport and other locales. Shuttle use has increased
between 13% and 20% in the past six months and serves 300 to 400
riders daily, Burbank Transportation Supervisor Andrew Carrasco said.
The increase is due to heightened gas prices and new developments,
like the Media District’s Pinnacle office building, that bring added
workers to town, Carrasco said.
Commuter services like the shuttle go a long way toward reducing
traffic congestion, improving air quality and assisting the economic
work base, Carrasco said.
Every employer with 25 or more employees in the Media District and
the downtown area is required by Burbank law to meet yearly goals for
reducing car commuting, Burbank Transportation Engineer Greg Hermann
said. Many employers offer financial support to encourage workers to
use public transit.
Pat Dunlap, a Disney Channel executive secretary, started taking
the train and shuttle to work from her Valencia home more than a year
ago. Though the travel time by shuttle and train is about equal to
driving, she appreciates keeping the mileage off of her car, she
said. Disney pays for half of her $120 monthly ticket, and for each
day she commutes by train, she banks $1 in “Disney dollars” that can
be spent at Disney attractions.
For more information about Burbank public transportation, call
246-4258 or log on to www.ci.burbank.ca.us.