8 million people, the City of Los Angeles is the second largest city in the United States. The County of Los Angeles has almost 10 million people making it larger than New York City. Given such a large population base, and the geographic region in which the city is spread out over 4,752 square miles, it is extremely important for a metropolitan area such as Los Angeles to have a comprehensive mass transit system. Its mass transit program must be geared to not only accommodate its residents, but also provide efficient transportation to the millions of visitors that come to the City of Angels every year. Most cities across the globe that have great public transportation systems do not cover such large geographic areas. They are typically located in condensed high rise regions where the development of a metro rail is warranted because of the need to transport a great number of people in a relatively short distance. The task in Los Angeles is a little more complicated. That is the reason our group was interested in studying the mass transit system not just by reading about it, but experiencing it in action.
A public transportation system should accommodate those traveling for work, school, or pleasure. Whether you need to get on a bus to get to work, or take the metro to visit a friend in a hospital, public mass transit should be simple to use. It should be designed to get you from point A to point B in an efficient cost effective way. The reasonable cost and ease of use will greatly determine how successful the system is and how it can help reduce congestion on the freeways, highways and local streets. Aside from reducing traffic, an effective system will also reduce pollution, accidents, and the stress that comes from driving a car on your own. The goal and benefits of an ideal transportation system are many. However, since Los Angeles County is spread out from Lancaster in the North to Long Beach in the South, and from Claremont in the East and the Pacific Ocean on the West, the task to accommodate the needs of travelers in such a broad area is not that easy.