Hey All! My name is DeShawn Samad, I am a Senior from Pasadena, CA. Pasadena is in the northern part of Los Angeles county, since it is incorporated into the LA area the transportation system is pretty robust. Thought the subway system could be improved for efficiency, the buses and metro rail are pretty efficient to get around to all areas of LA. I have lived in Atlanta for the last five years now, but every time I visit home they are steadily upgrading the subway and rail systems to travel more places. Los Angeles county has a population of about 10 million people and most get around by cars, that creates a ridiculous amount of traffic so more people are looking to public transportation and biking as better methods of transport. My mom tells me that on her morning commute (1 hour +) she’s beginning to see more and more groups of bikers travelling to their work places than she had seen in the past. Because it is such a huge city and expensive city, I know lots of people, especially those who live on the suburban areas, are looking for alternative ways to get around in order to avoid two and three hour driving commutes.
Within the last three years I have travelled to Spain, Cuba, and Bolivia, where many of the methods of transportation were by foot, car, or overcrowded buses. This has influenced my thinking transportation as a way to understand the differences between how others live outside of the United States. I am excited to learn about the Netherlands and the differences in the infrastructure and transportation designs they have there. It is always interesting to observe a new place and see how their alternative methods of building is integrated into their everyday lives.
