

Los Angeles transit ripe for disruption: suggestions on where to start - thoughtpeddler
http://blog.michaelsinanian.com/2011/07/30/los-angeles-buses-and-the-firstlast-mile-problem/

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byoung2
_In my own case, I live within about 1.5 miles of the nearest stop...Los
Angeles bus ridership skews markedly toward the socioeconomically
disadvantaged._

The only places that are more than 1/3 mile from the nearest bus stop are in
the (typically more affluent) suburbs. The socioeconomically disadvantaged
tend to live in the more densely-packed urban parts of town, where there are
stops on every corner. The wealthier areas of the city (e.g. Bel Air, Beverly
Hills (north of Sunset), Hollywood Hills, Malibu, etc.) have fewer stops, but
also fewer riders. Basically, where the majority of the ridership lives, there
are plenty of bus stops.

As for solving the last mile problem, I don't think it's possible to make it
profitable. Public transportation is only cheap because of subsidies from the
city. $1.50 for a trip, $6 for an unlimited day pass, or $60/month is a very
cheap rate, and your target market is used to paying those prices. Even in a
golf cart, I'm not sure how much you could charge someone to make it
profitable. You're not going to convince me to pay you even $1 for a ride to
the bus stop to take a $1.50 ride.

