Transit woes in Los Angeles
July 9th, 2008So after reading about how even stubbornly car-driving Angelenos are finally making the switch to public transit, I thought that maybe I could attend my Friday 7 pm show at the Glasshouse in Pomona by taking some sort of public transit out there. After all, it’s two blocks from the Pomona Transit Center/Amtrak station.
Ok, so how would this work?
Ride Metro Rapid 704( DOWNTOWN LA – UNION STA) heading east
From: SANTA MONICA BL/26TH ST(SW corner) Lv: 03:57PM
To: VIGNES ST/CESAR CHAVEZ AV(NE corner) Ar: 05:16PM
Pay $1.25, Monthly Pass: $62.00, (EZ Pass accepted)
Ride Riverside Line-metrolink (RIVERSIDE) heading north
From: UNION STATION/800 N ALAMEDA ST Lv: 05:25PM
To: DOWNTOWN POMONA STA/101 W FIRST ST Ar: 06:09PM
Pay $7.75
TOTAL: $9
Ride Foothill Transit Silver Streak (WESTBOUND) heading south
From: MAIN ST/POMONA TRANSIT CTR Lv: 09:51PM
To: GRAND AV/5TH ST(SW corner) Ar: 10:54PM
Pay $2.50 + $0.50 for Transfer., Monthly Pass: $96.00, (EZ Pass accepted)
Ride Metro Rapid 720 ( SANTA MONICA) heading west
From: 5TH ST/GRAND AV(NW corner) Lv: 10:58PM
To: WILSHIRE BL/26TH ST(NE corner) Ar: 11:38PM
Use Transfer or Media , Monthly Pass: $62.00, (EZ Pass accepted)
Ending at WILSHIRE BLVD/26TH ST
Total cash fare = $3.00
Grand total: $12
So that’s $12 + four hours of transit total for basically like a 2 ish hour show, plus there’s only one return bus per hour. Or I could just drive that and share the costs with my friend who’s going with me, and we could stop for tacos in East LA en route. 
July 9th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
For your Eastbound trip, you might want to look at the Blue Bus #10 “Freeway Express” bus to save a little time getting from Santa Monica Blvd to Union Station.
In the defense of the Transit Teethling that is Los Angeles, most of the people who are dipping their toe in the low-Carbon, fuel efficient, traffic insulated pool of public transportation are doing it for commuting purposes. Your itinerary requires a “reverse commute” after hours, making things substantially more complicated. Perhaps I am a transit optimist (ok, I *am* a transit optimist), but I’m tickled that this kind of cross-town journey is even possible!
(And, having said that– make sure you factor Friday I-10 and/or CA-60 traffic into your comparison, because NOT having to deal with THAT has its own psychological benefit.)
July 9th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Is the No. 10 faster than the 704?
July 10th, 2008 at 11:16 am
I would take the Blue Bus #10. You are going to have a slow trip on the freeway, but the 704 is not reliable in my opinion, and you will go thru the most obtuse traffic in Hollywood.
July 10th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
BBB #10 is generally faster to Union Station than Metro 704 from Santa Monica despite the slow traffic on I-10. The other suggestion I have is to take Foothill Transit Silver Streak all the way from Union Station to Pomona Transit Center rather than Metrolink. It will be a lot cheaper and it has more frequent service (every 10 minutes) so if you miss one (let say your BBB#3 is stuck on the 10 freeway due to accident), you are not totally screwed.
July 10th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Ah, an old blogger from the Cal days (back when I was alternately ripping away at the ASUC and the Daily Cal). And you were the science writer, as I recall.
Silver Streak is worthless. It is slow to board due to the annoying fare system (they print out receipts for every person who pays cash, which makes for long dwell times at all the stops through Downtown). Eastbound, it WILL get stuck in traffic on the 10, and that, combined with the annoying fare structure, makes it a pain. You get wi-fi on the eastbound ride, which might tilt it towards the bus. After 8 pm, Foothill normally substitutes regular sized buses rather than the long articulated buses, and those don’t have wi-fi.
I like the Santa Monica 10 though. It is fast and the extra 50 cents is worth it. Take advantage of the Metrolink Day Pass privilege… when you buy a Metrolink ticket that day, you can ride any local transit for free that day (you would only pay the $1.50 upcharge on the Silver Streak, and the ride on the 720 would be free as well).
If you are ever in Pomona again, drop me a line. Pomona was a dump when I was growing up and it has gotten cooler but overall still can’t shake its reputation of being a dump, the Glass House and the Arts Colony notwithstanding. Have fun.
July 10th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Remember though that the carpool lane on the 10 is 3+ between 4 and 7. If three are going, you should drive because the carpool lane will provide time savings, and 3+ makes the lane go fast enough. Lately I’ve noticed that the alleged Friday afternoon jams on the 10 are not as bad as they were before gas hit $4 a gallon. So you might luck out there.