My Metro Month: Commuting From Pasadena to USC

My Metro Train Arriving (Photo – Jonathan Ong)

Taking the Metro Rail to class everyday, it’s wonderful to see the evolving system around me.

By Jonathan Ong

I have been taking the Metro Rail from Pasadena to USC for class everyday, for the last month. Over this time, I have been able to see firsthand the exciting new things happening with Metro. For one, with the opening of the new stations in Downtown L.A., what used to be a trip that required 2 transfers has now been cut down to 1 with much less walking!

Also, I have been excited to meet the latest addition to the Metro team — the Metro Ambassadors. On the first day when the Gold Line became part of the A line, I was utterly confused with where to go. But Metro Ambassadors were there to save the day, armed with knowledge of the new stations and up to date maps. Now whenever I am lost I can rest assured that I can find a friendly pair of lime clad angels to help me find my way.

Another exciting addition to my Metro routine has been the Transit app, which allows you to check the arrival time of nearby buses and trains. The Transit app can even help you plan your trips (transfers included) and track the location of nearby trains. As someone who relies on the Metro to get me places on time, this has been a life saver. And the best part is that it is free to use, at least for a limited version of the app (and the limited version is all you need). Knowing if you need to start speed walking can be the difference between making a train or barely missing it. So, having the information of when the next train is arriving is a life saver when trying to get to class on time!