Billions spent, but fewer people are using public transportation in Southern California

Los Angeles Times ^ | January 27, 2016 | By Laura J. Nelson and Dan Weikel

[Oldeconomybuyer]

For almost a decade, transit ridership has declined across Southern California despite enormous and costly efforts by top transportation officials to entice people out of their cars and onto buses and trains.

The LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the region's largest carrier, lost more than 10% of its boardings from 2006 to 2015, a decline that appears to be accelerating. Despite a $9-billion investment in new light rail and subway lines, Metro now has fewer boardings than it did three decades ago, when buses were the county's only transit option.

The decline suggests that Southern California policymakers are falling short of one of their longtime goals: drawing drivers out of their cars and onto public transportation to reduce traffic congestion, greenhouse gases and the region's reliance on fossil fuels.

[hattend]

Maybe the policymakers should give up their cars and set an example.

[SaraJohnson]

Crime and black racism is on the rise so fewer riders. That is why public transportation has never taken off in the US. Europe is about to find out now that they are being flooded by Muslims. It will not be safe to take trains anymore.