2016-06-30
Vae Viator76 2016-06-30 R2 & Super Ripoff LACMTA undeserving of public funds
Vae Viator76
To all my readers: Holiday Greetings for July
Happy Fourth of July!
And now our National Anthem played by the United States Army Band.
fête nationale
Sur ce 14 juillet fête national française, ecoutons
Un des symboles de la France chanté par la Légion Etrangère.
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Un des symboles de la France chanté par la Légion Etrangère.
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Thanks to youtube.com, the U.S. ArmyBand and Merci Beaucoup à La
Legion Etrangere et TheClaude35 pour le téléchargement sur le serveur!
Legion Etrangere et TheClaude35 pour le téléchargement sur le serveur!
America's Worst LACMTA Transportation: Risible, NOT Rapid!♪
Punishment?
Please remember to vote AGAINST any LACMTA/Metro ballot measures this fall!
At this juncture, the ballot measure is designated Measure R2. Su Topo will provide you with an easy "mnemonic" [many, many thanks to Dictionary.com for the pronunciation! Dictionary.com is your Mole's "go-to dictionary and thesaurus" on his laptop and cell phone!] so that you can easily remember the ballot measure —Ripoff 2 or Super Ripoff, if they go with the never ending grab!
The LACMTA/Metro doesn't deserve the funding which our tax dollars now provide and definitely do NOT deserve any additional funding from us; until such time as they begin to deliver the service which we deserve; including but not limited to:
Building restroom facilities where they are needed. They know the locations!
If the drivers have restrooms the ridership needs them as well;
Providing security at the LAXCBC and along bus routes especially at 96th ST and Airport BL; The LACMTA devotes lots of money to "security", which is likely NOT cost effective, but almost nothing is spend on REAL system security. Providing an “app” or a telephone number is not providing security.
Training bus drivers that can DRIVE, which will be partly evidenced by positioning their buses at a bus stop equidistant and an EASY step to/from the curb. Many drivers lack a sense of professionalism and not all drivers are able to pull up to a bus stop properly; near the flag and close to the curb for the full length of the bus. It is probably just a case of the 98% giving the rest a bad name. Also, eliminating those drivers who break then accelerate and repeat, viz. rough and jerky driving —nothing focuses attention like a few firing for lack of aptitude.
Providing a pleasant on-board ambiance; no LOUD audio emanating from Metro vehicle's on-board audio systems or the riders riders personal audio devices. NOT employing drivers who think they are there to provide entertainment —Silence is Golden!
Disallow boarding of passengers with unpleasant body odors, dragging trash bags stuffed with recyclables, drunk and/or unruly etc., etc.
Importantly, adding the bus drivers number to the scrolling sign inside the bus, so that riders can report those drivers who are rude, crude and have poor driving skills. Obviously, the LACMTA is unable to make those determinations. This would be an important addition to the scroll as the ridership WILL identify the rude and incompetent whereas the LACMTA is incapable of doing so.
Many if most bus drivers DO NOT secure wheelchair passengers. In the event of an accident, these heavy vehicles could bounce around the bus and injure passengers. But like many items, safety to passengers is extremely low on the
LACMTA's priority list —if they even have such a list.
The LACMTA badly needs to foster a culture of openness and transparency! Providing quarterly and annual reports for each significant project, reporting which reflects project status in terms of ahead of or behind plan and a budget metric showing dollars over/under budget would allow the public to evaluate their competency.
Many if most bus drivers DO NOT secure wheelchair passengers. In the event of an accident, these heavy vehicles could bounce around the bus and injure passengers. But like many items, safety to passengers is extremely low on the
LACMTA's priority list —if they even have such a list.
The LACMTA badly needs to foster a culture of openness and transparency! Providing quarterly and annual reports for each significant project, reporting which reflects project status in terms of ahead of or behind plan and a budget metric showing dollars over/under budget would allow the public to evaluate their competency.
La Taupe has commented a number of times on changing the drop off point ofMetro buses at LAXCBC so as to minimise the distance one has to travel when transferring from a Metro bus to another Metro bus. It would be a simple change. No matter how simple or easy, the LACMTA will do —I believe— only what a court order demands.
Please review these prior posts on a more efficient arrangement of the LAXCBC on: 2013-03; 2014-12; and 2015-10.
Su Topo as heard from seniors on the unfair and disproportionate Muni transfer price increase forced on them. It turns out to be a 250% increase from ten to twenty five cents. The fair thing to do would be to roll it back to 10 cents for a period equal to the period that it was at 25 cents, then raise it to 15 cents. ¿Cómo esta abuelita?
Riding LACMTA services is generally not that pleasant to begin with and is only made more unpleasant by experiencing the above "punishments".
Part of FlyAway's expanded fleet♪
FlyAway, aided by the LACMTA, Picks the Taxpayer's pockets♪
This is a topic which su Topo has often touched upon but to which he will devote still more space. Especially since the LACMTA and seems disinclined to defend its territory .i.e., charter MD Transportation. The aid provided by the LACMTA takes the form of its lack of a will to resist and an eagerness to eliminate any of its bus lines which might compete for even an infinitesimal fraction of the business.
Not only do the big buses not giveth the small ones take away too! FlyAway, in reality, LAWA —a city agency continues to provide transportation to LAX from a number of origins. The LACMTA has no single-seat bus service to LAX. When it cancelled the 439 Line it severed Metro connections between Union Station, the West Side Transportation Center, Culver City Transportation Center and Aviation Station. This left the the field open to LAWA who could charge something greater than four (4) times Metro's full fare.
At the time FlyAway came into being Metro pass holders were allowed to ride to LAX on their passes. The LACMTA was greasing the skids that early on! I made the ride and it was comfortable and faster than the 439 Line. Had they continued to allow us to ride on our passes, very likely I would have considered it a benefit that Metro was providing me and not be writing this today.
However as time passed the pass privileges on Dash, DOT Commuter Lines were also eliminated, joined the cancelled FlyAway privileges and, how shall I say, went extinct? Along with many single-seat buses which forced us to take multiple Metro Buses/Trains to get where we needed to go. And don't forget, we once had Metro transfers available to us.
All those things are gone! While the base fares have gone up making the ridership shoulder the burden of paying MORE for LESS!
What does the LACMTA have to say? Except for their usual policy of telling us how great transportation is in Los Angeles —nothing, a complete stonewall.
LACMTA, need money? How about standing up for your charter, the limits of which seem to be defined in your title “The Los Ageles County Transportation Authority”. You should be running Flyaway, charge the tourists $10 each way to the airport, let pass holders ride on their passes and spend the profits on running a reconstituted 439 Line which can connect Union Station, the Westside Transportation Center, the Culver City transportation Center, the LAXCBC and Aviation Station. That way the hodgepodge that the LACMTA has cobbled together would start to appear as if it were an actual system!
Oh, by the way, Los Angeles area papers, this could well be a Pulitzer Prize winning story for an enterprising reporter or team of reporters. Remember the King-Drew story that won for the Los Angeles Times team? This is much, much bigger: waste; abuse ; breach of fiduciary; abdication of responsibility; lots of wasted money on things that didn't pan out (think TransiTV) and possibly fraud.
Over the years the Office of the CEO has been occupied by Snoble who spent fist-fulls of dollars on stickers for each bus stop; which stickers were almost obsolete on the day they were affixed or certainly within six months of that date. Then there was Leahy whose principle mantra was something along the lines of I was a bus driver. Now we have Mr. Washington whose prior city boasts a mass transit NOT RAPID transit link to its airport —he will be right at home in Los Angeles.
The LACMTA should have head-hunted in New Your City or Chicago for the kind of leadership the country's second city's countys transportation agency should have. The very though of that kind of non-docile CEO likely makes politicians dream of retirement.
La Taupe dreams of the deconstruction of the the LACMTA and reconstituting it with NON-political supervision. It would have a CEO for the LACMTA and a vice president for for the vehicular infrastructure [freeways etc.] and another vice-president for Rapid Transit. Bifurcation would allow each group to better serve its constituency. Although these constituencies overlap to some extent but, —for the most part, they divide along income/class lines. The premise of transit would be: we already have Mass Transit Buses, subways and the Green Line which are Rapid Transit but ALL future monies would be spent on replacing the candidate bus lines with Rapid Transit Lines and rapidising to the largest extent possible those existing Toonerville Trolleys —NOT building more of them! With all the supporting departments, including Industrial Engineers to correct many of the currently existing deficiencies. Not the least is building Rapid Transit where it is needed.
Billions wasted on a poorly or UN-designed transportation system but nada on badly needed public restrooms in the subway stations, rail stations and bus centers. How about it LACMTA? Let's have four or five years of improvements in creature comforts for the passengers, before you ask for more of our tax monies?
When politicians involve themselves in technical matters, expect failures.
The photograph below documents the situation at the Maxella AV and Lincoln BL stop on the BBB number 3 Line. It is the sort of “work” one would expect from the LACMTA. They taped or caused to be taped shut the aperture in the plastic pipes associated with power poles. These pipes continue to be used as improvised trash cans. BBB N.B. The stop still needs a trash can!
BBB Maxella Trash Fix???♪
SuTopo will include this comment in every post with the above until BBB corrects the problem. For quite awhile BBB has been charging for inter-line transfers, reversing the long-standing policy of free transfers to other BBB lines. This presents the BB as less friendly to its ridership than in years past.
Too, BBB has spent lots of money to build a big headquarters on Colorado BL just east of 4th Street. Mr. King, just a few dollars for a trash can, you might need a few more to cover other bus stops too, will erase this section. After all, it is Marina Del Rey! :-)
Why a trash container is needed♪
The photo above shows exactly what people will do when a trash container is not provided. They will jury rig something. What they did, in this case, is rip off the tape which covered the plastic pipes at the base of the utility pole and stuffed their trash into the pipe, nice, huh?
The man pictured above could ensure that trash containers are installed along BBB routes with a simple three-line memorandum.
White Line Incursion Series
Su Topo uses video to highlight the problem of scofflaw drivers endangering Metro bus passengers yet, no authority seems to want to take ownership of the problem. The issue is not unique to the particular site documented by your Mole, but is illustrative of a general problem. Your Mole encourages you to report similar problems to the appropriate agencies in your area(s) and hope that you will have better luck than he. In the youtube.com videos linked below one can see exactly what happens when the policing agencies fail to enforce traffic laws.
The video(s) linked below document the important fact that a never- ending stream of vehicles fail to use the lane as required by law.
Neither are the policing agencies active when it comes to protecting us by bringing these obvious and frequent traffic law violations to an immediate halt. The LACMTA is derelict as well, in that they fail to use the near hourly proof of the violations captured by the on board cameras, mentioned here, and discussed at length in the posting of 2012-05-31.
2016-06-30
Please carefully watch this video and you'll see a black car cutoff 111/311 bus. The lighting is not always what one would wish for these photographs :-(
And in this one, which should be much better and easier to watch :-) here. I smile, but it's not really funny. These incursions happen many times per day so it is only a matter of time before an accident occurs.
Airport auto rental shuttle drivers and others, if shown in the above videos, are all Class-B operators and should know better; but often they don't care and neither does the LACMTA and any of the policing agencies which have jurisdiction in the area.
Please carefully note that in some videos, pedestrians are pinned to the curb by the vehicles that cut in front of the bus —as a result these pedestrians are illegally denied the right-of-way. Which right-of-way would be unchallengeablely theirs IF, and only IF, Mr. Washington would review su Topo’s simple solution (vide infra) and implement it.
In spite of the potential for these violations to occur several times per HOUR, I have never seen a police presence at this location. One would think that with a bus schedule taped to the dashboard one of the several policing agencies would have made some arrests by now. Unless they have "more important" work to do than protecting bus passengers.
La Taupe feels that it is appropriate to dedicate these video(s) to ALL the agencies that should be protecting us. So, they are dedicated to (1): Airport (LAWA) Police, (2) the L.A.P.D., (3) the L. A. County Sheriff’s Department and (4) Mr. Washington who is the current CEO of the LACMTA.
Su Topo has recommended a simple solution to the problem. That is, have the 111 Line buses pull up to pedestrian crosswalk, stop there stop and discharge passengers. Doing so eliminates the space in front of the bus which the always-in-a-hurry scofflaws use to cut in front of the bus. But, with the LACMTA nothing is simple. Although the solution could be implemented with nothing more than a memo to the 111/311 Line drivers, it is a task for which the LACMTA so far has proved to be inadequate.
Metro's Flag a revés♪
At sea, a vessel in distress will fly its' flag upside down. It is only right that, given the dysfunctional LACMTA, we should fly Metro's flag in that manner.
In this section it is su Topo's intention to call your attention to situations which he has observed that highlight the "LACMTA Way" of doing things.
An homage for her "contribution" to L.A. transportation.
Your Mole would like the former head of LAWA remembered for her "contribution" to Los Angeles area public transportation. She was quicker than her contemporary, the former bus driver and former head of the LACMATA, to implement the lucrative FlyAway service and discouraged all attempts, however feeble, to bring other modes of transportation to LAX.
Too, we should memorialize her attitude vis-à-vis public transportation directly to LAX in following the transportation direct-to-airport access pattern used by many, if not most, world-class airports, to wit, “Anytime you go under the airport, it is fraught with problems, ...” [hardly a get it done attitude!].
The Mole reads the papers and other things, obviating the necessity of your doing so.
An editorial (DailyBreeze) covers some of the aspects of the LACMTA's Measure R2 which your Mole recommends voting against (vide supra). I will quote a single paragraph, but recommend that you read the entire piece, see the link (if available) in "Works Cited", below.; or obtain a copy at your local library.
Here is a quote from the piece: "If it's not careful the [LACMTA] board will also give voters something else —a good reason to distrust the whole $120 billion plan.”
The Torrance Daily Breeze also reports (Bartholomew) on the LACMTA's proposal to modify Measure R2. The LACMTA's intention, as reported by Ms Bartholomew, is: 'But instead of asking voters to support a half-cent Measure R extension with another half-cent tax through 2057, the transit agency now recommends a “no sunset” measure which would raise billions of dollars in perpetuity.'
Su Topo see this as even bolder “money grab” and opposes it even more strongly than he did the original Measeure R2, which he termed “Ripoff 2”. Obviously a new designation is required, and rising to the occasion, this Mole will call this new plan “Super Ripoff”!
The titular head of the LACMTA, arguably the worst transportation provider among America's large cities, is reported as saying, “It is the most aggressive initiative in the country today … […] This tackles everything ….”.
Ms Bartholomew has written an excellent piece, please read it for lots more detail.
And the LACMTA's CEO is so modest too. It is difficult for this Mole, who actually uses the LACMTA's services, to see one single positive contribution made by any of the last three (3) LACMTA's CEOs! Here are some your Mole's rating metrics: Maintence, are rolling stock well maintained? Are sales kiosks working? Easy-to-use? Sited properly with no glare on the screens?; Ambiance, are most rides pleasant? Drivers rude or thoughtful?; Does the LACMTA make things easy for its ridership? Are rest rooms clean and available?. Reading these post will provide most of these answers. Or you can save time and understand that there are reasons why I call the LACMTA's work product fifth-rate :-)
The Los Angeles Times also features (Nelson) a story about the LACMTA's plan to make the increased Transportation Tax permanent.
I won't quote much but here is something from the piece: “If we're going to do something real about traffic, we need to act now, and we need to be bold,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a statement. “This will not only help ease congestion — it will bring good-paying jobs to our communities.”
Unfortunately, the mayor is neither a transportation engineer nor an industrial engineer, so I believe that his thinking stems from what this Mole considers to be the, triumph of hope over experience with the LACMTA. Also, I believe that I can paraphrase a statement by the mayor in the recent past, which I understand to be — First get the money, then plan.
Such an everlasting tax would place the LACMTA's hands even deeper into the taxpayers pocket and allow the LACMTA to continue providing piecemeal, fifth-rate transportation at five-star prices, with any features that would make the ridership's usage even a scintilla more convenient or pleasant, considered as unnecessary frills.
The Time's Nelson also informs us (Nelson2) about the failure to add an aditional eight (8) members to the LACMT's board. "Regardless of whether his bill passes later this year or next year, [State Senator Tony] Mendoza [D- Artesia] said, he will campaign against Metro’s ballot measure [R2], and encourage other elected officials to do the same unless the agency bumps up the 2047 opening date [for the light rail Artesia Line]."
Your Mole would factor out the political influence which drives the LACMTA today, and professionalise the LACMTA with people who understand transportation planning in terms of ridership sources and sinks and has futurists on staff who can anticipate patterns which will affect transportation needs.
What appears to this Mole as a job creation plan for politicians has mercifully failed. Of all the many faults of the LACMTA, few can be remedied by throwing politicians at them! Just what we need, more politicians involved, NOT!
“More than likely, the California high speed rail will require large government subsidies for years to come,” the proposal said.
Mr. Vartabedian's story continues, 'That warning, however, was expunged from the version of Ferrovial’s proposal posted on the state’s website. The only record of it was on a data disk provided to The Times and others under a public records act request.'
If any one is going to find the “smoking pen” in this mess,Mr. Varbedian is the one to do it. This is a story that just keeps on giving! Mr. Vartabedian does an excellent job in reporting it. It documents that, in Calafornia, the word most used in describing those involved in public transportation , is what? Inept??
A Metro brochure informs us (16-2405JP) that beginning on June 26th the Silver Line will board through both the front and back doors —will wonders never cease. They have had years to figure this out going back to the lost fares on the Orange Line. No Solution was ever developed. This Mole will humbly take credit for pointing out that it would be possible to speed up boarding, please see this post, then read the text under "One of the Reasons Why Buses Will NEVER be on Time♪"
Also please read all the work by the hard-working reporters found in “Works Cited” below.
« La sotte vanité, voilà notre misère. »
Jean-François Ducis (1733-08-14~1816-03-31)
Jean-François Ducis (1733-08-14~1816-03-31)
[The foolish vanity is our misery.]
Ars longa vita breva
François Boucher (1703-09-29~1770-05-30) Lui est un peintre française, représentatif du style rocaille française.
¿Musica?
Composer Francois Francoeur (1701-06-19~1787-08-05) whose Violin Sonata VI in G Minor, can be heard here.
"Thank you!" to www.youtube.com for this beautiful work. We are also grateful to Alan Choo, who shared this beautiful music with youtube.com and ultimately, with us.
Metro Area – Lower your expectations!♪
The Mole rides again, so you don't have to see exactly how the LACMTA wastes your tax money boarding buses with wheel-chair riders faster by boarding other passengers FREE!
2016-06-09: Your Mole waits to board a 40 Line bus. A passenger who is confined to a wheel chair will board first. The driver shouts out: “Board through the back and take a seat." After the passenger and his wheel chair are settled another passenger starts up the aisle to pay his fare. The driver shouts at him, “Didn't you hear what I said? I said board through the back and take a seat.” The startled man returns to his seat. These LACMTA “employees” have such a way about them!
2016-06-09 At the LAXCBC: Drivers think that this is the Cell Phone Waiting Lot, or someplace else. One vehicle with a PUC ID waited and waited, longer than I cared to photograph so you only can see part of his time he spent at the LAXCBC here.
2016-06-10: As I wait for a Line 102 bus, a bus stop cleaner stops his truck at the curb. His “cleaning” amounts to changing the trash bag in the waste recepticle. Nice job in supervising your contractors, LACMTA. Almost any aspect of LACMTA operations that this Mole reviews, he can find some flaw! Nice work LA Metro Mole! Isn't it?
Chatty Driver and her passenger♪
2016-06-15 @ 11:00 Aboard a 111 Bus: The conversation, pictured above, between operator (30471) and a passenger, violates a number of LACMTA regulations –-including, but not limited to: a passenger standing in front of the yellow line and really unnecessary conversation with the driver.
The conversation goes on and on. It even continues after we arrive at the LAXCBC.
boarding through the back door (Please see this, then look for the text under "One of the Reasons Why Buses Will NEVER be on Time♪" which caption is right under a photo of a wheel chair.) speeding up the process but, they are ignoring the fare collection portion. So boarding is speeded up, BUT, in this case they lose about 7 or 8 fares. La Taupe estimated the cost of free rides, in lost revenue, on just his short ride at more than $20 .. But for anyone who wants to ride free they need only find a wheel chair waiting at a bus stop and one is almost guaranteed a free ride. This is one of the reasons why the LACMTA wants more tax money from you —to make up for the fare loses due to their own inept management!
This Is Not Rapid Transit♪
The photo above concretises the idea that the EXPO line will not deliver deterministic travel because, look at the signals and the traffic folks, it isn’t RAPID TRANSIT.
Ear (and Eye) to the Rail
Transit as unseen and unimagined by the LACMTA
The LACMTA (Subordinate to LAWA)
Presents
Every Which Way But Right!
OR
Four (OR Five) Seats to LAX!
OR
The LACMTA Tries Again; Asymptotically to LAX!
OR
Metro is the worst way from the City Center to theAirport, LAX, that is!
The purpose of this section is to make people aware that the LACMTA is not home to many problem solvers. I hope to accomplish this end by presenting the solutions adopted by other cities, some in foreign countries, in solving the city to airport rapid transportation challenge.
Cautionary Note: Those employed by the LACMTA or LAWA should NOT view
the following video(s). The speed of the train(s), the fact that they neither
share the right of way nor stop at stop lights, because they are truly rapid
transit, will likely make you dizzy, nauseous, confuse and frighten you.
Let's take a wintery trip in Poland,from Kraków Glowny to Kraków Balice Airport. The Poles know how to do it —it is Rapid Transit folks! We can start the trip here. The population of Poland is barely 800,000, not even 1/17th of the Los Angeles area but that doesn't stop them from having a real, as opposed to a Toonerville Trolley system
Thanks to youtube.com and to Moss Travel Media for the upload!
, as they seem to understand what Rapid Transit means.
Here is a link to one of their youtube.com videos. Then you can see the thinking that the Kiwis are devoting to their airport link, here.
Just for your information, smaller populations do not prohibit big minds as larger populations do not guarantee big minds.
www.youtube.com, thank you so much, you are simply great! Kia ora to Auckland Transport for your uploads!
Cosmology
What happens when super massive black holes, which are found at the center of galaxies collide? We can find the answer, courtesy of universetoday.com, here.
Fare Box Score Box OOS and related Lists of Shame
I.D. Numbers of buses with Out of Order Fare Boxes: Direction Line, etc., e.g., 125 (2016-05-28@ 10:20); Eastbound
Note: No or few entries above do not necessarily mean all fare boxes are in operation.
I.D.Numbers of Distracted Drivers: xxxxx (i);
None included here, but observations of a minor nature may be included in the main posting;
Codes: (i) Extended conversation(s) with passenger(s) or (ii) cell phone call(s). Frequently, details can be found in the text above, (ii*) cell phone call(s) which are aggravated by some other action, (iii) Self-distracted. Codes (ii*) and (iii) will ALWAYS be explained in the posting.
I.D. Numbers of Buses Defaced by WhoIs stickers: xxxx;
~UR or +UR = (+UR) whois sticker and the ugly residue left after passengers partly remove the sticker. (~UR) = Only the ugly residue left after passengers almost completely remove the sticker. +L = an old (legacy) sticker black letters on a plain white background –these are the original form of the defacement.
* Another reason for displaying the operator's ID on the internal display and the headsign.
ID numbers of Buses whose Head and Tailsigns disagree: Not noted xxxx/xxxx;
Format is Bus number followed by Headsign number/Tailsign number.
ID numbers of Buses without Braille signs: xxxx;
METRO drivers Lack of Basic Technical Skills Report
The format is Driver number F[{Y/-n/+n}] C[{Y/N+/-}]. Meaning of F if Y the driver stopped with the Bus stop “flag pole” somewhere between the bus front door frames. A negative number, e.g., -3 is the approximate distance in metres (think yards dear readers) between the nearest bus door vertical frame member and the flag pole signifying that the bus stopped short of the flag. A positive number, e.g., +3 (metres) is the approximate distance between the nearest bus door vertical frame member and the flag pole signifying that the bus stopped past the flag. The value for C[{Y/N}], “Y” tells us that the driver stopped within an easy step from the curb to the bus, “N” means it was NOT an easy step from the curb to the bus. It is this Mole's belief that an average experienced good driver should be able to control his bus so as to position in near the curb and with the flag pole slightly to the front of the bus.
I.D. numbers of drivers who are unable or unwilling to position their buses parallel to the curb, a short step from the curb and/or equidistant from the vehicles exits. At the present time (2016-05-31) there are too many drivers to name, whose skill at parallel parking is deficient .
XXXXX F[+0] C[Y]; F[+7], C[Y]; xxxxx F[Y], C[Y]; xxxxxF[Y], C[Y]; N.B. distances are in metres, think yards.
13 metres is this is MORE than a 40 foot bus length. nnnnn* = Contract Driver
I.D. numbers of drivers who are almost guaranteed to give you a Rough and Jerky (R& J) ride: xxxxx;
I.D. numbers of drivers who will give you a potentially life-threatening ride: XXXXX(J)date; XXXX-XX-XX(-);
Codes: S = not wearing seat belts; J = bad judgment (unsafe driving practices).
La Taupe's Abréviations
ADADO = Automatic Destination Announcement (on) Door Opening. This feature is installed on many buses and operates on extremely few. Another “money down the toilet” LACMTA investment. La Taupe that this is intended for the visually impaired because people who can see can read the “head signs”.
ASAS = Automatic Stop Announcement System the GPS (Global Positioning System) driven mechanism for generating audio for the upcoming stops. N.B. Because of the low power (read weak) processors used in the on-board stops may be too close to identify stops separately. This is known as a granularity problem. Then too, if the driver operates the bus at speed above the speed limit you will find the system “back announcing” stops which you have already passed. I find that this will NOT keep some drivers from complaining “that you didn’t signal (ring) in time”. They don’t understand their relationship to the system and how, by driving faster than the GPS computer, they can bias it.
BART = Bay Area Rapid Transit – Please note the use of the word “Rapid” because it is a word we almost never hear in Los Angeles.
BBB = Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus
CHSRA = California High-Speed Rail Authority, which is the equivalent, in more
ways than one, of the LACMTA.
CC or CCMBL = Culver City (Municipal) Bus (Lines)
CCTC = Culver City Transportation Center this is the place formerly known as FHMTC = the Fox Hills Mall Transportation Center (Sepulveda& Slauson)
FFE = Full Fare Equivalent (presently $1.75)
GTrans (Gardena transit?) formerly GMBL = Gardena Municipal Bus lines
ITC = Inglewood Transit Center
LAWA = Los Angeles World Airports.
LAXCBC = the LAX City Bus Center.
OCTA = Orange County Transportation Authority.
OOS = Out Of Service.
Rapid Transit = does not compete for right of way, that is, it will not run at grade unless it has EXCLUSIVE DEDICATED USE of the right of way).
R&J = Rough and Jerky [ride].
TT= Torrance Transit.
T1= the normal type of driver/staff.
T2= is the non-stop talker type of driver/staff, on the phone or to passengers,
T3= the uncommunicative type of driver/staff, sometimes surly.
WLATC = the West Los Angeles Transportation Center (Fairfax & Apple)
Su Topo’s Disclaimer and apologia
Your Mole always attempts to write an easy-on-the-eyes page using text input. Blogger.com however, has other ideas and will often not stay with a single font type or point size, produces extraneous spacing and etc. I wish I had time to debug the HTML which they produce, it is NOT the straight text which I pasted into the form, but I don’t. Therefore, I apologize on behalf of Blogger.com for the changes which they make, of which I do not approve. Sometimes, what I see, thankfully you don’t, is 24 point type –it is giant and other times they swallow my text, although it still seems to be there. In fairness to them, things seem better, although this is partly because I do understand which of their “features” do the most damage to me and consequently do not use them. Communicating these problems to them, for me, is something like having teeth extracted without the benefit of anesthetic, actually it is less fun than that. By their design, there is no simple e-mailing them with "Please look at my say, posting of 2009-06-28, it is weird!” I have been submitting feedback and experiences slow but positive progress. Until all issues are resolved, lo siento. [Addenda 2014-07-31]: Things have been much better lately. There is a more responsive feedback system now. [Addenda 2015-08-22]: Recently, even the "Feedback" mechanism has failed to submit problems. [2015-12-31] The feedback section disallows screen shots which show problems with the "final posting", such as, orange sections which cover blocks of text and change the font size. All it would take is allowing and attachment. But, ... [Addenda 2016-03-31] Since Blogger.com forced me to learn HTML 5, I can fix "many" of the problems which apparently were caused by using Word notation in "imported" files. The mystery failure to save problem still occurrs but have diminished. [insert crossed fingers icon here :-) ].
I like blogger.com very much, and IF things ever normalise, I will consider deleting this "Disclaimer and apologia" section.
Your Mole’s Copyright Statement
All original photographs and original written materials are copyrighted © 2007~2016 by LAmetroMole. As of 2016-06-01 copyrighted photographs will include copyright text. ♪Clicking a photo will often* present you with an enlargement (sometimes successive clicks will further enlarge the photo). *This feature is dependent upon the Internet browser which you use and possibly other factors. Single use publication rights are granted provided the following statement is prominently displayed below the photograph: "copyrighted © 2007~2016 by LAmetroMole (http://lametromole.blogspot.com)"
FAIR USE NOTICE
This site contains or provides links to copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, sustainable development, environmental, community and worker health, public disclosure, corporate accountability, and etc. We have often included relatively brief quotes from articles and etc., sometimes in addition to a simple link, because we have found that links frequently go "bad" or change over time. We believe this constitutes a "fair use" of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without fee or payment of any kind to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes and to those who access the site via any and all other channels. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. Music or other recorded material on this site, or referred to by this site are copyrighted by their respective artists and are made available here for evaluation purposes only. Please support the artists you like by buying their commercial CDs, MP3s and downloads.
Your Mole’s Conflict of Interest Statement
This is to certify that I, the blogger who is known as the LAmetroMole, with respect to this blog, except as described below, am not now nor at any time during the past year have been, nor is it my current intention to ever be:
1) A participant, directly or indirectly, in any arrangement, agreement, investment, or other activity with any vendor, supplier, or other party doing business with any of the entities about which I have written, which has resulted or could result in personal benefit to me.
2) A recipient, directly or indirectly, of any salary payments or loans or gifts of any kind or any free service or discounts or other fees from or on behalf of any person or organization engaged in any transaction with any of the entities about which I have written.
Any exceptions to 1 or 2 above are stated below with a full description of the transactions and of the interest, whether direct or indirect, which I have (or have had during the past year) in the persons or organizations having transactions with any of the entities about which I have written.
there are no exceptions.
Date: 2009-06-24 s/LametroMole
Works Cited
Bartholomes, Dana. “Permanent county transit tax proposed”. Torrance Daily Breeze. Jun. 11~12,2016:4. Print.
Daily Breeze. "Transit Voters must know what we'd get". Daily Breeze. Jun 3, 2016:A12. Print.
Nelson, Laura J. “Metro officials hope to pass half-cent sales tax that would not expire”. Los Angeles Times. Jun 10,2016. Web. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-metro-sales-tax-20160610-snap-story.html
Nelson2, Laura J. ”Bill to expand Metro board is shelved in Sacramento” Los Angeles Times.Jun 3, 2016. Web. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-metro-bill-sacramento-20160603-snap-story.html
Vartabedian, Ralph. “Did bullet train officials ignore warning about need for taxpayer money?” Los Angeles Times. Jun. 20, 2016. Web.//www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-bullet-train-subsidies-20160609-snap-story.html
16-2405JP. "SilverLine All-Door Boarding". LACMTA brochure . (C) 2016. Print.
16-2405JP. "SilverLine All-Door Boarding". LACMTA brochure . (C) 2016. Print.
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