Ceres: What's your commute length and how long have you been commuting?
Richard: I have been commuting from Los Angeles to Santa Ana for about eight years. My average commute from home to work takes approximately two hours. My commute from work to home takes approximately two hours. In a nutshell I spend approximately four hours everyday commuting.
Ceres: Why did you choose to commute instead of driving or moving closer to your workplace?
Richard: Choosing to commute using public transportation, in lieu of driving, was a choice that was guided by my frustration with being stuck in traffic. Thursdays and Fridays are especially hard when trying to get home in the evenings, so the train afforded me an opportunity to develop new friendships, think and sleep; a luxury here in Southern California. Moving, on the other hand, is a bit more complicated since I did have the choice to move, and instead chose not to. Suffice it to say, my heart is still in Los Angeles!
Ceres: What do you like and dislike about commuting?
Richard: What I like about commuting is the opportunity it affords me to talk with fellow commuters, catch a nap, work, read a good book,
and... a serendipitous stop at a nearby bar to grab a beer with a fellow commuter. What I dislike
about commuting would be the frequent schedule
disruptions due to freight traffic, mechanical issues, and suicides (not to be insensitive but this often leads to a two hour or more delay). I don't feel the train is very reliable, and if I have an appointment or important engagement, I must drive. Another bothersome thing about Metrolink is the infrequent schedule: I don't have many options when it comes to getting to work earlier or home sooner.
Ceres: If you could change something about it, what would it be and why?
Richard: If I could change something about Metrolink, I would address those issues above, but beyond that, I would do the following: Southern
California is one of the busiest places on the
Photo by Lands of Void
Richard Hassan works as a Business Analyst for an IT department, in Santa Ana. He rides the Metrolink or Amtrak, and occasionally the Purple or Red subway line, then the Blue line when not driving to Union Station.
Swtation.
The Expert
8 years commuting!
Photo by Lands of Void
Photo by Felix Cruz
"...I would build a bullet train, on an elevated platform, to run between Los Angeles and San Diego."
76 - Ceres Magazine - Winter 2016