By Jung Gatoona

Gas bad, Metro good. Gas problem, Metro solution. These are the words an intelligent caveman would say if he were here today, but lately they are the words being used by Metro's marketing team to increase its ridership. Metro wants, if not needs more riders to stay afloat, and it seems they are quite aware that what's bad for drivers is good for them.

Gas has thus become the focus point on defining the bad for drivers, and it's become a valuable symbol Metro uses when comparing cars to public transportation. After all, gas is expensive, and most people don't like the expensive must gets in life that prevent them from buying the real important things, like apps for the iPhone. Gas is also painted as dirty and whatever is the opposite of the color green. It's pointed down for being the main villain that coughs up heavy smog and thick air conditions in LA.

Metro has so far taken every opportunity it could grasp in its fat little hands to make it clear to everyone that gas is bad, that car uses gas, and thus the car is bad too. Metro's message: Bad gas, bad, car. This simple equation of words which Metro has spent thousands to create and promote does it's job well, for now. It makes it crystal clear to the public that Metro is the answer to the gas problem and that Metro is the cheaper and greener alternative method to get around LA.

The message is simple in addition to clear, and in one mind gulp, the public has sucked up its every word. The timing of the message delivery was also perfect, in which by mid-2008 gas prices had soared as much as $4.58, prompting many to start taking up public transportation. As gas prices rose, so did the number of drivers ditching their cars. Metro began to see the benefits of their marketing plan come in early, and they saw a significant 9-10% rise in ridership by the end of 2008.

But, as the calendars hit the end of the year and entered 2009, gas prices had already dipped from late-2008 and were far below average prices in California. Thus as soon as gas prices plummeted, so did Metro's ridership, which dropped to near mid-2007 numbers. Metro wanted the gas prices to have a direct effect on the number of people taking public transportation, but only if it was expensive. Now that gas prices are somewhat affordable for many, Metro is need of a new attack strategy to gain that once increase in ridership, and maintain it. And, to make matters worse, mass production of affordable electric cars are soon to roll out into the US market, which will threaten the ridership numbers even more. Of course that may not be for another 5-15 years, but thinking ahead on Metro's part will be key to gaining the upper hand. Metro will probably use road congestion as the next focused attack on cars, seeing how the population in LA is on the rise. If Metro does decide to use this as their attack, Metro will have to start putting more of their resources into building and promoting rail lines, which are solutions to current and future congestions.

As I see it, the future of public transportation in Los Angeles, will be to serve as not mere cheap alternatives, but as a more reliable and efficient way to travel. Thus, to insure the future well-being of LA's public transit, a high coverage and reliable railway must be in place within the next 5-15 years. Luckily, we have Mayor Villaraigosa, who is in constant push for all of this to get done within the next 10 years.

Of course, Metro can always skip this and go for the Electric bad, Metro good marketing campaign, but I doubt that it will have much success.

Photo | Jung Gatoona