Using Google Transit on Google Maps for Mobile

Lack of information is a barrier to using transit. To go somewhere, you have to know how to get there. In a car, you have maps and potentially a GPS device. For transit in LA, you have Trip Planner, time tables, and a stylish, but not geographically representative, map of routes and lines. These resources are hard for a visitor or first time transit rider to find, nonetheless figure out in a little over an hour.

Luckily, in San Francisco , BART and Muni are on Google Transit. While I was up there last weekend, I documented an hour of using my Blackberry 8820 with GPS, and Google Transit on Google Maps for Mobile to navigate the city.

I had some time to kill, so I decided to get some Dim Sum in Chinatown. I'm unfamiliar with San Francisco, so I used Yelp, an online review site, to find a good place to go. I went to their mobile site and searched for "dim sum" in Chinatown, San Francisco, CA. In the first page of results, I found a place with 4 stars called Delicious Dim Sum, which was what I was looking for.

I then searched for "Delicious Dim Sum" on Google Maps for Mobile and found out how to get there using transit. There was a bus departing from two blocks away in just a few minutes.

Google Transit showed me how to walk there:

What the bus stop looked like:

And what time the bus was leaving:

I hopped on the 9X to go to Chinatown.

While I was in transit, my Cousin sent me a text telling me that he and his brother would be grabbing beers before the Giants game near AT&T Park. I told them I'd be there around 6.

I hopped off the bus in Chinatown and walked about a block to Delicious Dim Sum.

And it was delicious:

While eating the pork bun, I searched for the 21st Amendment Brewery on Google Maps for Mobile and found transit directions to get there. I had to walk a few blocks down Jackson Street to get to the stop.

When I got to the stop, Muni's next bus sign not only let me know how long I would be waiting

but also that Muni was subject to state cuts to transit operating funds and what I could do to learn more.

I got on the bus, and had about 20 minutes in transit, so I used my blackbery to update my facebook status

and check the news back home.

I was also able to follow my progress along the route:

(I'm at the blue dot, the route is the blue line, green diamond is beginning, red diamond is destination, orange diamonds are embarkation and disembarkation)

When I got off the bus I had a short walk:

and then I grabbed a beer with my cousins:

.

I did all of this in about an hour and 15 minutes. I was unfamiliar with the system (I event tried to use my declining balance BART ticket on Muni), but Google Transit made it easy to figure out.

Want experiences like this in LA? Join the effort to get Metro and the munis on Google Transit by joinining the Los Angeles Wants Google Transit Facebook group.

More than intent needed to ride Gold Line extension

I applaud the Gold Line Construction Authority and Citrus's College student efforts to raise the attention of public transportation investments in the Foothill corridor. However, their "I will ride" campaign should be an "I would ride" campaign. Students support the proposed line as, it would serve the Citrus College campus. These students probably easily envision walking, biking, or driving to a gold line station, taking the line to Citrus Ave, then walking the 1/3 to 1/2 mile to their destination on campus. However, most of these students will be gone in two years. If the these students and the Gold Line's supporters really want to ride the line, they should lobby their local city councils for land use policies which support light rail use, so that they will have ample reason and opportunity to ride when the Gold Line extension is built.

People travel because they want to get from here to there. There would be no sense in riding the Gold Line extension if it does not go where the supporters want to go. No one with a car at their disposal wants to upwards of walk a mile and a half to and from a station to get to their final destination. Thus, it is critical to concentrate housing, jobs, and places people want to go near the future stations, so that someone can get on the train in Glendora and go grab dinner and watch a movie in Claremont. If the “heres” and “theres” in the future Foothill Corridor are not near proposed Gold Line stations, then fixed-route light rail would be difficult to use for such a trip.

For light rail to have enough “heres” and “theres” around stations to be viable (still subsidized by local sales and property taxes, but high enough ridership to offer frequent service), the area around the stations should have roughly twenty housing units per acre. This type of land use allows people to buy or rent near a station so that they easily take advantage of all benefits the line has to offer. With fewer people living near stations, generally a line would require such a high subsidy to operate (at least 4 to and as much as 10 times the price of a ticket), that during times of budget cuts the line’s operator would not be able to offer frequent enough service to get people on the train. No one wants to wait 30 minutes to take a train. Those who did want to near stations would have to pay higher prices for rent and houses because of the low supply of housing in the area.

A previous generation of Citrus College students missed a great opportunity to promote the land uses necessary to give residents access to the light rail line. The Rosedale master-planned community is a new 518-acre neighborhood currently under construction right across the street from Citrus College and adjacent to the proposed Gold Line station at Citrus Ave. When completed, the neighborhood will have about 2.5 houses per acre – far below what will be needed to, in the future, house even a fraction of the 28,000 students currently attending colleges within 1/2 a mile of a proposed station.

Notes & Links from Metro ETC Meeting

On 4/21 Sirinya gave a presentation on using new media to market alternative modes to a group of Employee Transportation Coordinators at Metro

NOTES

¤People want to feel connected, even if it is remotely through online social networking

¤To change travel behavior – and ultimately, that is what ETCs seek to do – you have to figure out how to reach out to your target population

¤If your target population is a cohort that is educated, technologically savvy, then you have to meet them through their social mediums

¤You have to create buzz – give people something to talk about – and online social networking tools can help you do that.

¤Finally: Online social networking, Web 2.0, and other options have the potential to provide useful information when alternative mode commuters want or need it.

LINKS

¤Bruins for Traffic Facebook Group

¤Tinyurl.com/bruinsfortrafficrelief

¤Measure R campaign

¤See our pictures at www.tinyurl.com/btr-pictures

¤Los Angeles Wants Google Transit

¤Tinyurl.com/lawantsgoogletransit

¤Facebook www.facebook.com

¤Twitter www.twitter.com

¤www.twitter.com/bikecar

¤www.twitter.com/caltrain

¤First tweet about Miracle on Hudson: http://twitpic.com/135xa

¤Google Products

¤Google Transit www.google.com/transit

¤Google Latitude www.google.com/latitude

¤Google Maps www.maps.google.com

¤San Francisco Webcam Network

¤http://www.apple.com/webapps/travel/thesanfranciscowebcamnetwork.html

¤Online ridematching meets social networking

¤Zimride: http://apps.facebook.com/carpool

¤PickupPal: www.pickuppal.com

¤Carticipate: www.tinyurl.com/carticipate

¤Copy of the presentation

Transit-oriented adventure to Thai Town

On Sunday, Juan and I used the 720 and the Red Line to get up to Thai Town for the 2nd annual Curry Festival, which was organized by the Thai Community Development Center. (Disclosure: I was an intern there in 2003!)

For starters, we were super excited to see that Metro had indeed phased out paper day passes. Instead, we got reusable TAP cards. But what to do with them? After all, right now, Juan and I each have our own, although they're not activated right now since we didn't pay for quarterly passes through UCLA.

I insisted that Juan take a picture of these Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies. They were on the train to verify everyone had paid. Note: They carry around these scanners, which can detect whether you tapped your pass prior to boarding.

As we exited the train, I noticed several Metro employees standing by the ticket vending machines and the maps. Following last year's event, MetroRiderLA had written about his experience trying to obtain a ticket inside the Hollywood/Western station on his way back. (The article was entitled, "Thai New Years Festival Exposes Success, Failures at Metro"). It took over 30 minutes because of the large crowds attempting to figure out the two ticket machines. Back then, I commented that the high number of choice riders in this crowd exemplified the need for Metro to bring staffers into the station to help out, especially since Metro's subway stations are technically unstaffed. (But don't try to evade the sheriffs.)

So I went up to talk to these people, and I told them about MetroRiderLA's blog entry, and they seemed a little incredulous (like they'd been told that last year had large crowds, but hadn't heard it yet from an actual constituent). Then I made Juan take this picture to document it:

As for the actual event itself, it was busy, hot (thanks to the heat island effect), and wonderful. We recruited our friend Will Trevor to join us. He has a hearty appetite, which enabled us to sample more food. As a dental student, he was also super excited to see that this is how Bangluck Market stocks its Dental Care Center:

Of course, no transportation blog would be complete without these pictures:

While Metro had its staffers answer questions from choice riders and field questions and ideas from attendees on an exhibit, LAPD was out in force to make sure the people felt safe in various modes. They included this Segway.

So while ordinary Americans weren't buying American-made cars, the LAPD was buying up whatever the rental car companies didn't want.

Exhibit A: Late 2000s Ford Mustang

Exhibit B: A freaking Hummer!

Seriously. Seriously! What on EARTH??? To me, the Hummer exemplifies excess and everything that is wrong with the Big Three and America. Here we are, telling people to take public transit to an event, and then we feature a freaking Hummer?!???

Newsflash to LAPD: Ditch the Hummer ASAP.

-Sirinya

I'm in the Westside Extension study report

Earlier this month, one of my SPA school classmates told me that I was actually pictured on page 16 of the Westside Extension study's alternatives analysis report. In the picture below, I'm photographed signing into the first Westwood meeting. Darn cool. And if you want to read the whole report, click here.

Subway to the Sea study approved, moves onto environmental review

Some good news: Metro's Board of Directors has voted to move the Westside Extension project (code: Subway to the Sea, or Westwood at least) to the Draft EIR/EIS stage. The Wilshire Subway is still alive!!!

This occurred on Thursday morning, when yours truly delivered nearly 300 signatures collected primarily by Misha and Bob, the co-founders of Bruins for Traffic Relief, directly to the Board members themselves.

The Board also voted to proceed with several other transit projects, including the Regional Connector Transit Corridor Study in Downtown L.A., and; the Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 Study in the eastern portion of L.A.

According to a Metro press release, the Board approved two alternatives for further environmental review and preliminary engineering: a Metro Purple Line extension via Wilshire Boulevard and another that also includes a spur from the Metro Red Line in Hollywood via Santa Monica Boulevard.

True Costs of Driving

in 1990 dollars
from Mark Delucchi. Total Cost of Motor-Vehicle Use, ACCESS #08, Spring 1996

Planners should consider all costs when making decisions. Additionally, with political pressure to lower taxes and increase services, the total costs of motor-vehicle operation shift from being borne by private individuals to society as a whole, and the total costs increase. All, especially politicians, should be cognizant of the political implications of their actions.

Why I think you should vote yes on R

Hi Friends,

Many of you know I'm a strong supporter of Measure R. Many of you know that I'm working on my MBA in Finance and my MA in Transportation Planning at UCLA, so I've taken a dozen graduate-level classes on issues related to Measure R. I'm convinced that Measure R is vital to ensuring the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of Los Angeles. With all of the political noise we've been subjected to in the past few months, I wanted to make sure that you are aware of Los Angeles County Measure R before Election Day. I also hope to convince you to vote yes on Measure R to get Los Angeles moving again.

Each section has a heading written in the form of that question. If you're wondering the answer to the question, read the section. If not, skip it. Measure R is about making living in and traveling around Los Angeles more efficient, so there's no reason to waste time reading what you already know... Measure R needs a 2/3rd yes vote to pass, and right now, it's polling at around 2/3rds. I wouldn't waste your time with this email if I didn't think your vote mattered.

What is Measure R?
Measure R is a one-half cent sales tax increase that will provide a projected $40 billion to fund transportation projects to increase mobility around Los Angeles County as part of Los Angeles's Long Range Transportation Plan. The plan targets the most congested areas of Los Angeles County with smart, location-appropriate capacity expansions. In many areas, this means adding lanes, synchronizing traffic signals, or reengineering intersections to improve traffic flow. In some areas, this means adding bus service and constructing light rail. In the Wilshire Corridor, this means expanding the subway network. In many areas, a combination of street improvements and transit capacity expansion will get Los Angeles moving.

Here's the ballot language:

TRAFFIC RELIEF. RAIL EXTENSIONS. REDUCE FOREIGN OIL DEPENDENCE. To: Synchronize traffic signals; Repair potholes; Extend light rail with airport connections; Improve freeway traffic flow (5, 10, 14, 60, 101, 110, 138, 210, 405, 605, 710); Keep senior/student/disabled fares low; Provide clean–fuel buses; Expand subway/Metrolink/bus service; Dedicate millions for community traffic relief; Shall Los Angeles County's sales tax increase one–half cent for 30 years with independent audits, public review of expenditures, all locally controlled?

According to the Texas Transportation Institute, Los Angeles is #1 in the United States in traffic congestion, time spent in traffic, and wasted gas. In 2005, congestion cost Los Angeles $9.3 billion in lost time and fuel, or about $1,400 per resident. The average of $25 per resident invested by Measure R won't eliminate congestion in Los Angeles, but it will significantly improve mobility and access to opportunities across the region and provide a substantial return on public investment.

Measure R is a County Measure at the "bottom of the ballot" (after elected officials and state propositions) for Los Angeles County voters. Find out where you're voting tomorrow and see a sample ballot at http://.lavote.net/locator

Isn't the Eastside of the County and the San Gabriel Valley getting the short end of the stick?

Measure R provides funding for Metro's Long Range Plan, which was developed during a two year, very public, multi-stakeholder process aimed at getting Los Angeles moving again. This plan prioritizes funding of transit projects with high ridership potential, such as the Wilshire Subway (which will carry at least 180,000 people per day) and are sure shots for federal funding matches. The pet project of the Eastern County and the San Gabriel Valley is the Gold Line extension to Claremont, which is projected to attract fewer than 20,000 daily riders. The gold line extension will not necessarily be competitive for matching federal funds, nevertheless Measure R provides around $700M for the project. East County politicians who oppose Measure R fail to realize that it will not get them their Gold Line extension any sooner, as this project has been prioritized lower on Metro's Long Range Plan. Some of them are hoping voter rejection of Measure R will force Metro to change the long range plan, a process which will take at least five years while Los Angeles continues to suffer in traffic, and is unlikely to move their pet projects up on the list. Encouraging their constituents to vote against Measure R is especially damaging because LA County doesn't have uncommitted funds available to move forward on any of these projects without Measure R. This means that a No Vote on Measure R delays all of the projects in the Long Range Plan until at least 2015.

The Westside of Los Angeles will receive about 124% of the county-wide per capita funding that measure R will provide and much of this, $4.5B, or 11% of Measure R funds will go towards the Wilshire Subway. A $4.5B federal match will provide the $9B needed to build the subway to Westwood. What was billed as the "subway to the sea" had to be scaled back in order to fund projects elsewhere in LA County.

By contrast, the San Gabriel Valley is projected to receive only 84% of the county-wide per capita funding Measure R will provide. However, the system-wide improvements will open access to more opportunities throughout Los Angeles and create stronger links to existing transportation alternatives (Metrolink, Gold Line) that have been previously financed by Los Angeles County taxpayers. If every region received an equal return of funds, Measure R would presumably do wonders to placate politicians, but less to alleviate congestion in Los Angeles.

Isn't a sales tax regressive? Won't Measure R hurt the poor?
An across-the-board sales tax is regressive. Measure R is not an across-the-board sales tax increase because rent, utilities, services, and food are not taxed in Los Angeles County and make up a high proportion of a low-income family's expenses. Low income families, especially those without access to an automobile, stand to contribute less than $25 per capita and benefit a great deal from the increased transportation funding that Measure R will provide.

Why does Measure R call for a sales tax? Shouldn't investment in infrastructure be financed by bond measures?
Ideally, an increase in property taxes or a bond measure would be used to finance Measure R, which will provide benefits that will be captured by increases in real estate prices. However, in California, Proposition 13 has long limited property tax funding (and choked many local governments and school systems) and makes funding Metro's long range plan through a property tax assessment impossible.

A bond measure would be a great way to provide funding while hiding the costs to residents. However, bond funding has been raided by the state in the past to cover budget shortfalls, resulting in no money for the programs the bonds were supposed to fund.

A sales tax increase allows Los Angeles County to maintain local control and accountability for funds and allows Los Angeles to pay for improvements as it goes rather than taking on debt and later scrambling to find funds to cover payments.

What's this I hear about you dressing up as a Pirate and shouting "AYE on RRRRRR" at passersby on a street corner in Westwood?
http://losangelestransportation.blogspot.com/2008/11/transportation-headlines-for-monday.html
Scroll down to the pictures. One benefit of being the photographer is that you never show up in any of the pictures J

Best, and Good Luck at the polls tomorrow!