I Was Quoted by the LA Times

LA Times Transportation Reporter Laura Nelson just wrote a story noting that Los Angeles now processes more value in payments by credit card at parking meters than it does by coin. It makes sense. We use plastic (whether credit or debit) for pretty much everything else… how many people to do you know regularly carry around tons of quarters?

I was quoted in the story explaining that it helps me keep track of how much I actually spend on parking (thanks to the wonderful online budgeting software known as Mint). Of course, I don’t drive much (and therefore don’t park much–so it’s funny to me that this is the story I’m first quoted in), but when I do, it’s great to be able to pay by card. It’s the same way I load my TAP card, buy my lunch, and buy my clothes.

Head over the LA Times website to read the whole story.

Read more of this post

Someone is Listening: 7th Street / Metro Center Upgrades

Someone must be listening. About a month ago I wrote a post claiming that the screens at the 7th Street / Metro Center Station were poorly placed and could — with simple content changes — be much more effective for riders.

Last weekend, the most important of these changes were made.

Some banks of screens at 7th Street / Metro Center now show departure times for all four lines at the station.

Some banks of screens at 7th Street / Metro Center now show departure times for all four lines at the station.

The screens closest to the tracks on the upper level now show both Red/Purple and Blue/Expo departure times. So, when you get off the Blue or Expo Lines, you’ll be able to quickly see how long you have to get downstairs and make a transfer.

Read more of this post

Mapping the Screens at 7th Street / Metro Center

Over the past few months, a number of screens have been added to the upper level of the 7th Street / Metro Center station. Since the Expo Line opened a year ago, there are now four lines sharing this station, and the screens show departure information for the Blue and Expo Lines (which are on the upper level), and the Red and Purple Lines (on the lower level).

Unfortunately, many of these screens have been added in less-than-useful places or show less-than-useful information.

Take, for example, these two screens that show you departure times on your way out of the station (presumably, after you’ve gotten off of the train), rather than on your way in.

On the left is the view as you exit the station toward Figueroa. There's two screens telling you train departure times. Meanwhile, those entering the station (view on the right) see a blank space with no information.

On the left is the view as you exit the station toward Figueroa. There are two screens showing you train departure times. Meanwhile, those entering the station (view on the right) see a blank space with no information.

Every day, when I get off the Expo Line and prepare to transfer to the Red Line, I (and a mad rush of commuters) practically run over to the stairs to peer down at the lower level in hopes that my train is not already sitting there, ready to close its doors as I’m stuck in a crowd trying to make my way downstairs. Every day, hanging from the ceiling just above me are two screens, both of which show departure times for Expo Line, which I just got off.

I’ve always thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be nice if that screen showed the Red Line times instead?” Then, I could simply look up and know that my train wouldn’t be leaving for another 4 minutes and I’d have no reason to rush, letting those who did need to hurry tap their cards and get down the stairs before me. I started looking around the station and I realized there are a ton of screens, but they often show riders info for the lines they just got off, rather than the lines they might be going to.

So I decided to map out the screens and try to determine a more useful way to display the same information, just by changing what is on each screen.

Read more of this post

The New and Improved Dodger Stadium Express

I went to my first Dodgers game of the season last Sunday and, of course, took the Dodger Stadium Express for free from Union Station. I was excited to try it out this season after Metro and LADOT made some improvements (most notably, a bus-only lane on Sunset Blvd. and Elysian Park Ave.).

The bus only lane doesn’t start until you get to Figueroa and Sunset. It was Sunday and there wasn’t much traffic, but last season I did spend a good portion of my trip in traffic on Cesar Chavez between Alameda and Sunset. One game in particular, it took us 35 minutes to get to Figuaroa (at which point we got off the bus and walked). It would be a HUGE improvement if the bus lane could start at Alameda.

Map of the Dodger Stadium Express route. I highlighted the portion with a bus-only lane in yellow.

Map of the Dodger Stadium Express route. I highlighted the portion with a bus-only lane in yellow.

In practice, the bus lane worked just as well as in theory. We zipped right on by the rest of the cars trying to get into the stadium, and as we turned right onto Elysian Park Ave., I was actually surprised to see that the lane continued all the way up the hill. There are a ton of cones put out and cops monitoring every so often, so the lane was definitely well-respected by other drivers.

Read more of this post