I commute to work, first by commuter rail, then by subway. It should take 1 hour each way but usually takes 1 hour 15 minutes — and it can take much longer as there are often signal problems, equipment breakdowns, lack of a crew, etc.
Still, I always say that it’s better than sitting in traffic. All the train commuters I know complain abut public transit and yet prefer to take it. We can sit and read the news or a book. We can chat with friends and strangers.
Now I see from a tweet linking to CNN that lots more people are getting on board.
Thom Patterson at CNN Travel offers his five reasons for believing that Americans are falling in love with public transit.
1. “Ridership is experiencing a winning streak. The nation is on track to top 2013’s annual ridership, which was the highest since 1956. …
2. “Americans are breaking up with their cars. Since 2007, Americans have been driving less, breaking a trend that had been rising for more than two decades. … The public transportation industry says commuters could gain an average annual savings of $9,635 by taking public transit instead of driving.”
3. Cities seem to like streetcars and trolleys. “In Oregon, Portland’s success with its streetcars in the early 2000s helped spur similar projects around the nation. New streetcar projects are in service, under construction or being planned in Atlanta; Charlotte, North Carolina; Cincinnati; Dallas; Detroit; Kansas City, Missouri; Salt Lake City; Tucson, Arizona; and Washington. …
4. “Several city planners are pinning their hopes on spectacular new transportation facilities that combine transportation with other activities such as shopping and eating. …
5. “These days, jobs are where you find them, not necessarily where you live. Supporters say the need for faster, affordable mass transit between nearby cities has never been greater. Utah Transit Authority’s light-rail line called TRAX has connected communities within the sprawling Salt Lake County for 15 years. … Now, commuter rail lines have been proposed connecting other regional cities — such as Chicago with St. Louis, Dallas with Houston and Orlando’s airport with downtown Miami.” More here.
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 
This is a great trend. I have been told that at one point some of the early car manufacturers (such as Henry Ford) bought up and then dismantled the public transit/street car systems in cities such as Detroit and Los Angeles. I don’t know if there is any truth to this idea, but it’s terrific to read about new mass transit systems being constructed around the USA in the 21st century.
My husband tells me that it was General Motors that bought up all the trolleys in LA. But he wouldn’t put it past Henry Ford to have done something similar.