We'd love to use the train more often, but . . . .

MetroRail could be more user friendly.  Understandably, because the MetroRail shares tracks with freight trains, compromises must be made.  Leander is the furthermost point from Austin in the system.  No riding the train in from Leander on Friday and back out on Saturday for instance.

And this is downright threatening.  Of course, you don't see the sign until after you've parked and are about to board the train.  The 3-minute bus ride probably involves at least a 30-minute wait.  And the trains only come every 30 minutes.  You could have to wait nearly 30 minutes (again) after you arrive at the station. Seriously, this station is only 5 miles from downtown.  You could walk the distance in 1.5 hours.

No service at all on Sunday.  But you can walk/bike/bus/drive.  Potential passengers could do that every day.  No need for light rail.

Eight total bikes per train?  Then you can go park at the lot that's a convenient bus ride away?  I think cyclists could cover the 5 miles to downtown in (I'm guessing) less time than it would take to ride the train.  Sigh. 

 

Last fall, Austin voters turned down a $1.4 billion proposition to expand the rail system to run from the new ACC campus (old Highland Mall) near our house, through downtown, to the ACC campus out Riverside, just a few miles shy of the airport.  Downtown to the airport might have made sense, assuming service was more frequent and user friendly than what we've currently got.  I think Uber and Lyft and other solutions by the people for the people will make mass transit planning passe.