By Dave Carwin

Santa Monica is where I work, and living in Downtown LA doesn't make it easy to get there. Commuting via the current public transportation infrastructure takes me on average three hours back and forth each day. And believe me, as much as I love taking the bus, wasting three hours of my day commuting is frustrating.

There are several reasons that contribute to why taking a bus from Downtown LA to Santa Monica is so time consuming. First in point, the distance from Downtown to Santa Monica is quite far. Far means longer travel, and according to Metro's Trip Planner, taking the Santa Monica 10 takes 30-60 minutes, while the Metro Rapid 704 takes 60-90 minutes to arrive in Santa Monica. I might add the times given are a bit fast compared to what I have experienced so far, but we'll get to that later. Anyways, because of such distance, the bus schedules usually go by increments of every 30 minutes, which can lead to problems if you accidentally miss your bus. There are many moments in my past where I've missed my bus and had to waste 30 minutes waiting for the next one to pick me up.

Now, as I mentioned earlier, taking the Santa Monica 10 was listed as taking 30-60 minutes. I agree that the 10 is the fastest way to get to Santa Monica, but according to my experiences, it does not take 30-60 minutes. By stating these times, it seems they forgot that while the 10 travels along the I-10 freeway, it comes in contact with some heavy congestion. Metro, please add that into the equation, thanks. On the I-10, traffic does not flow smoothly, and increases my trip time from the given 30-60 minutes to the actual 60-80 minutes. Talk about more frustration.

As I struggle with the current options I am given, I am hopeful to know that the Exposition Light Rail Transit Line will finally be coming to the rescue. Let's just hope that all goes well and accordingly to its current plans. Come quickly Expo Line, and save me already!

Illustration | Jung Gatoona