[melling]

30 minutes doesn't seem that bad. If you commute to Manhattan, you're looking at least 45 minutes door to door from most directions.

Not to worry, within another 30 years technology will solve the problem and mass transit will achieve great speeds, like 100 mph. The average commuter train/subway now has to be less than 50 mph.

Get on a train in Mountain View and arrive in San Francisco in 15 minutes.

[xjlin0]

It is the frequent/nearby stops that make the mass transit slow today. Nowadays all trains/bus engines can drive cars to 80mph already.

[melling]

No, do the math. The express trains and subways aren't that fast either. Some are much slower because of frequent stops but that's not the only problem.