Trading In The Car For A Metro Pass

"Two years ago, Simon Pastucha - an urban designer and planner for the city of Los Angeles - left his Mercedes SUV at the dealership and hasn't looked back."

"As one of the Planning Department's two urban designers, Pastucha spends his days advising developers and city agencies on how to make L.A. a more walkable, welcoming and attractive city. So it helps to see the city from foot or passenger window."

"'As a designer, I'm trying to work out how the city functions,' he explained. 'We have billions of dollars invested in this (transit) system. We need to see what works and what doesn't.'"

"But how does a professional with children and far-flung meetings survive in car-centric Los Angeles without owning an automobile?"