The urban Motorboarder's backup: Bus + fare card

L.A. girl Kathryn Pope has a goal for 2008: To get rid of her car entirely by June! Follow her de-car-ing adventures.

Busing It. As I was making the decision to go car-free, I read "How to Live Well Without Owning a Car," by Chris Balish (great book). Balish suggests having several backup options for transport when switching to a car-free lifestyle, to be sure that commutes go smoothly, even when the unexpected happens. So, while my Motorboard is fun and makes me cooler than ever, I need other options for rainy days and long distances. My first backup is public transit.

I took my first bus ride because I was angry with my car, not because of my environmental goodness. After failed smog tests, maintenance tickets, and a chunk of metal that started to drag on the pavement as I drove, I was fed up. At the time, public transit seemed like a radical idea -- sheer craziness, in a city where cars are fashion statements. As I stuck my head under the car to inspect the errant chunk of whatever it was under there, I felt just crazy enough to try it. What if it turned out that I didn’t need this pile of metal to get me around at all? What would life be like?

The idea seemed like a great adventure. So I found the Big Blue Bus line 14, grabbed my quarters, and gave it a shot. It turns out that I arrived early for my appointment that day (no need to hunt for parking on Wilshire), and I arrived calmer than usual -- relaxed, actually. I’ve been a public transit convert ever since. I have to say that the bus is a sweet ride, compared with my no-frills car. Not only do I get to read, e-mail, and otherwise keep myself busy while I’m driven around by a professional driver -- I get to do it with climate control. I’ve also run into students and former students on the bus, made friends with strangers, and learned about the history of L.A. from an 88-year-old expert.

So what do you need to know, if you’re a bus novice eager to give it a try? A few ideas:

Use a TAP card and/or Little Blue Card. Fare cards save so much hassle in searching for the right change –- and, as I learned on my first ride, the driver won’t give change if you hand her a bill. The TAP card is still in its infancy, but if you buy one at certain locations in Culver City, you can put any dollar amount you want on your card and use it gift-card style on Culver City and Metro buses. The Big Blue Bus has a card of its own, the Little Blue Card, which you can buy online at the Big Blue Bus website.

Bring entertainment. Buses have to navigate traffic too, and they’re sometimes late or slow. Bring something fun or productive to pass the time, and you won’t find yourself tapping your foot impatiently and checking your watch.

Grab schedules to take with you. Public transit in L.A. is complicated when compared with other cities. It helps to know exactly which lines you’re taking and when the buses are scheduled to come. This will be even easier when we get Google transit in L.A. this summer. Until then, use metro.net’s trip planner and 1-800-COMMUTE.

Start with one short ride. For your first bus adventure, try taking a short ride on the bus that runs closest to your house, rather than starting with a commute to work or another important event. Even if you're not ready to think about de-car-ing just yet, a ride or two on the bus every so often can reduce your emissions, curb your gas-buying, and (although it may sound strange) give you a sense of community and warm fuzzies about the amazing people who live in L.A.

Photo by Kathryn Pope