MetroRiderLA

The gadget blog, Engadget, posted a particulary offensive story yesterday about the implementation of free WiFi internet access on a few Bay Area bus lines. Apparently AC Transit, a transit authority in the East Bay, is in the testing phase of a system which will allow riders to log onto the internet from their laptops, free of charge, as they ride. Sounds like a pretty good idea to me, and a smart way to grab new ridership from business commuters. A majority of the cars cramming up our streets are from business people coming to and from work, business people who can’t do their precious business safely while driving a car. A WiFi enabled bus would be an attractive option for a business person who could check her email, catch up on the news, and check her favorite transit blog on her way to work.

But Engadget is skeptical. They reveal the “glaringly obvious” error in this thinking:

“You’re asking to be mugged if you’re happy with pulling out your prized laptop on a city bus.”

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As you most likely have noticed, updates have been far and few between during this month of August.  There are a number of reasons for this, the main reason being I recently moved and much of my time has been spent concentrating on the move.  Another reason though is because at the end of July we started getting spammed bad, and I had to start moderating comments and now I have about 231,421,203 unmoderated comments, 99.9% of them being spam for porn and valium.  A big part of this blog was the community aspect and the ability to discuss and argue through the comments system… that becomes a lot harder now that I have to moderate and there is an extended amount of time before the comment actually shows up for others to read.  If anyone knows of any good spam filters/defense mechanisms for WordPress that I can use and set up easily it would be greatly appreciated.  I’d like to get things rolling again in September.

Well, it’s finally happened. According to the Daily News, that new light rail project that will go from Downtown LA to Culver City has been given a name: The Expo Line. After a seemingly endless amount of discussion and time spent trying to decide what to call the city’s first bit of rail that goes further west than Koreatown a decision has been made and we can move on. Or can we?

Well not really because the train will still have to labeled on a map with a color, and that color is still up in the air. So in the end nothing has been solved because now all we have is a silly name that people will probably soon forget once they start refering to the line by its color on the map. Apparently, internally at the MTA this discussion about the name/color of the new line has been a “drawn-out debate” that many board members have grown to resent.

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Hey n00b!  Are you scared of the bus?  Worried about getting lost underground when you ride the Red Line?  Think that LA Public Transit is an oxymoron?  Well it’s time you grow some cojones and become a true MetroRider.  Doc on the Train has a great post that answers 12 of the most pressing questions an LA transit newbie might have.  Concise and quick, it’s a veritable Idiots Guide to the MTA.  Hell, I finally learned what the hell zone fare means!  Go check it out and earn your Metro wings.

Doc On The Train: Riding in LA 

According to a July 21st article in the LA Times, Mayor Atonio Villaraigosa has proposed that MTA look into the costs involved involved in providing a fare free week of public transit to the Los Angeles public in order to promote the system, increase ridership, and improve air quality.  The larger goal it seems is to convert current automoblie users into transit riders, as is evidenced from Villaraigosa’s letter to MTA CEO Roger Snoble:

“With high gasoline prices and continuing air quality challenges in the region, there is a golden opportunity to further promote transit usage throughout Los Angeles County.” -from CBS2.com

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The monthly Transit Coalition dinner is coming up next Tuesday, July 25th at 6:30pm at Philippes the Original in Downtown LA. I highly recommend every reader of this blog do what they can to attend the meeting and show your continued support and interest in the future of transit in Los Angeles. The meetings are informal but informative, and everyone involved is extremely friendly and welcoming to new members. You’ll pick up a wealth of new information, discuss the most recent events relating to LA transit, and have the opportunity to speak your mind. The Los Angeles Public Transit community is growing everyday online, with new blogs and sites forming every week, but it’s one thing to sit in front of your computer and write a rant or post an opinion, it’s another to get up and really get involved. So hop on your favorite mode of public transportation and make your way Downtown next Tuesday from some tasty french dipped sandwiches and a few hours of transit talk.

For more information:

• The Transit Coalition
• MetroRiderLA Event Calendar
• Philippe the Original