Al Vogel lives in Durham, Calif., about 20 miles south of Chico. But the organic farmer and former teacher loves Los Angeles so much that he often visits to explore the city by bus and train, relying solely on public transit to get around.
Last summer, one of Vogel's visits -- with extended family in tow -- was chronicled in the Los Angeles Times in a piece in which he described how much he loved getting around the city carlessly. Art Leahy, chief executive of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, read the story and determined to meet Vogel in person.
On Thursday morning, Leahy gave Vogel a tour of the 25th floor of the Metro Headquarters Building, and the two walked from window to window, looking down on rail yards and the Los Angeles River and Gold Line and Metrolink trains coming and going on the tracks. Then they headed downstairs to the MTA board meeting, where Leahy presented Vogel and asked him for his public-transit recommendations.
Vogel came prepared -- with a list of notes. He suggested that the city offer a tourist-friendly three-day transit pass in addition to its day pass and weekly pass. He also suggested the MTA website include a special section for visitors, perhaps with video clips showing transit tourists how to use the transit system to get to such places as Los Angeles International Airport, downtown, East L.A. and the Huntington.
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