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Only because until now the light rail lines have been built almost exclusively in non-white areas. White ridership will get a big boost when expo opens to Santa Monica.
Pasadena has a white population — but far lower than I expected. Southern California's demographics surprise me.
Don't forget Monterrey, Mexico with 419,000 daily riders and a population of 1.1 million.
I disagree that light rail is faster and more reliable for longer distances than bus. I think light rail is terrible for longer distances. I often drive on a freeway parallel to a light rail line. Traveling at the speed limit 65 mph, I fly right past the light rail trains doing 55 mph. An express bus could easily be traveling the same speed I am. In most cases you will find that light rail is usually slower then express busses that it replaces.
The only thing light rail has going for it is, that people like trains. They don't like busses.
Have you tried both of those options? Because buses on freeways with no seatbelt and standees can be a little scary. The bus stops suddenly and people fall. Even in the seats it can be a little scary. Plus in LA many buses on the freeway are only going 35 mph even in the carpool lane.
Only because until now the light rail lines have been built almost exclusively in non-white areas. White ridership will get a big boost when expo opens to Santa Monica.
Yeah that is true.
I'm not sure the Expo Line will have a huge boost to the ridership percentage but it will definitely go up. The Gold Line Foothill Extension will probably add to the white ridership too.
Pasadena has a white population — but far lower than I expected. Southern California's demographics surprise me.
Pasadena, downtown LA, parts of Long Beach...the places that light rail travels where white people live does have lots of white riders. But expo to Santa Monica will be a game changer because its also a major employment and entertainment destination. The gold line is significantly white (maybe 35%) and I expect Expo will be the same or more.
Even the blue line first car only is probably 30% white at rush hour. Probably less than 5% at other times.
Have you tried both of those options? Because buses on freeways with no seatbelt and standees can be a little scary. The bus stops suddenly and people fall. Even in the seats it can be a little scary. Plus in LA many buses on the freeway are only going 35 mph even in the carpool lane.
Yeah, I've tried it. Denver to Boulder express busses come to my mind. I'm not sure it's much different then standing on a train. Personally I try to avoid riding on any public transit, bus or train if I can't expect to get a seat. Standing room only should only happen in unusual situations, special events, breakdowns, etc. I'm not cargo, and I don't like to be treated as such. I expect to be given a seat.
I used to use the light rail in Sacramento California. I would drive up the freeway everyday stuck in traffic and watch the lighrail train go past me and a whole line of cars. So I decided to start taking the light rail. It saved me so much time communting in the car and I got about 7 blocks of walking on each end to get to my work site each day. But it also saved me the gas that I would use sitting in traffic. So I am a proponent of light rail when there is enough density to make it worthwhile.
I disagree that light rail is faster and more reliable for longer distances than bus. I think light rail is terrible for longer distances. I often drive on a freeway parallel to a light rail line. Traveling at the speed limit 65 mph, I fly right past the light rail trains doing 55 mph. An express bus could easily be traveling the same speed I am. In most cases you will find that light rail is usually slower then express busses that it replaces.
I should have said light rail is faster than non-express buses. Buses on local city streets have to stop a lot and deal with traffic lights. An expressway with a 65 mph speed limit would be faster than light rail, at least until it exits. Though 65 mph sounds fast for a city freeway, usually the speed limit is lowered to 50-55 mph within city limits here and traffic often has trouble reaching that.
Yeah, I've tried it. Denver to Boulder express busses come to my mind. I'm not sure it's much different then standing on a train. Personally I try to avoid riding on any public transit, bus or train if I can't expect to get a seat. Standing room only should only happen in unusual situations, special events, breakdowns, etc. I'm not cargo, and I don't like to be treated as such. I expect to be given a seat.
Well we don't always get a seat here or at least not right away. And the difference between standing on a bus versus a train is that buses in traffic often have to stop unexpectedly. I'm not talking screeching tires necessarily but rapid deceleration makes people fall over. If you always have a seat then it's not a problem but like I said, we don't always.
Also buses like the one in that photo more compete with commuter rail than light rail. Cushier seats and no stops on the freeway. Those cost more than light rail in LA because they are more of a premium service. The downside is that they usually have little or no service outside of rush hour. So hopefully you don't have to leave work early or get sick.
I should have said light rail is faster than non-express buses. Buses on local city streets have to stop a lot and deal with traffic lights. An expressway with a 65 mph speed limit would be faster than light rail, at least until it exits. Though 65 mph sounds fast for a city freeway, usually the speed limit is lowered to 50-55 mph within city limits here and traffic often has trouble reaching that.
Yeah, on surface streets. But in those cases, the light rail is probably also on the same street, so it's effected by traffic lights and lower speed limits too. Also rapid or limited stop busses, in dedicated bus lanes, with traffic light priority should theoretically be able to travel just as fast as light rail on surface streets.
Anyway bus rapid transit seems to be the next big wave.
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