2019-09-29
2019-09-30 ViaViator-113
ViaVator113
From your Mole, to all who see this in hopes that you will enjoy your visit to this site.
Bienvenue !
ίBienvenido!
Welcome!
いらっしゃいませ!
Quinto-rate transporto tertia-rate hype.
N.B. Any Cell Phone Photos should enlarge by clicking TWICE on the image!
Su Topo Proposes a new/replacement Flag for the LACMTA♪
Flag Source: royalty free, Creative Commons
Your Mole recognises when he is being "stonewalled" and further that the LACMTA is not an open organisation; so he will wait until a new CEO comes on scene and try again. Until then, the LACMTA CEO's Question Time will rest here.
When politicians involve themselves in technical matters, expect failures.
CEO's Question Time
This section is preserved as indication tht the LACMTA is NOT responsive (stonewalls) any critisims!
Based upon the Parliamentary PM's Question Time at which questions may be asked of the Prime Minister.
In light of the LACMTA's unilateral actions to "make transfers easier", eliminating Day Passes, etc., One can see that they exhibit the same human kindness toward their captive ridership as those who originally flew the above flag did towards their captives.
Let's start with elimination of Day Passes: Day passes used to cost $7 for those with a TAP card; the passes remained in effect from the time of purchase until 3 A.M on the following day; the passes could be used for multiple trips. the passes proved to be economical if one rode more than four buses during the period of validity. This meant that a mother could make multiple shopping trips, pay bills, take children to the doctor etc., etc. all for a daily total Metro charge of $7!
No longer, beginning on July 15th, neither transfers nor Day Passes will be made available on buses. One can obtain one from rail station vending machines; however will require paying , at minimum, a single bus fare to ride to a rail station AND time to make the trip.This plan the result of the disobliging LACMTA staff, masked as positive, is actually regressive, punitive, illogical and is almost sure to bring about a drop in ridership. I have asked people, to act on my behalf, to find out the details of this plan regarding transfers and so far there have been no results. They asked for a clear definition of what transfer on second boarding really means; Additionally, request were made of Muni agencies and various TAP sites, to detail the exact amount of money which would be deducted from uses TAP cards based upon their cohort: student; senior and regular passenger. Again, no definitive replies have been received!
Apparently a hearing was held Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 1PM, please note, a hallmark of the LACMTA: "the convenient" day of the week (Wednesday) and time (13:00) of the meeting. A day and time which ensues that the most frequent users of day passes and transfers would be engaged in other activities, such as, earning a living.
What make this even more disgusting is the attempt by the LACMTA, by providing the sketchiest of details, to pass the blame on to the Muni agencies who actually take the money from users' TAP cards.
Please, let's diverge for a moment and review the LACMTA's revenue sharing with the Muni agencies. Please review this report (extract) LACMTA-REPORT
N.B. the $17,560,833 shared with some Muni agencies and documented in the report; let's determine how many $0.75 transfers the LACMTA could provide to its' passengers with that amount. It turns out to be 23,414,444! Or in daily terms 64,149 each day for a year! N.B. the LACMTA freely shares the tax dollars it collects from the taxpayers with other transit agencies but does NOTHING for its' ridership except make their transportation life more difficult and more costly. And that is nothing of which they can be proud. Under the new transfer plan, this Mole believes that the LACMTA will reduce the Muni operators share of the Measure M revenue stream and tell the Muni operators that they can collect the transfer charges directly.
If the penny-pinching LACMTA were to take some positive action on behalf of its' ridership, it would allow free access to all participating Muni agencies by holders of a Metro TAP card without requiring even 1 penny of payment payment. That would increase ridership! There was a day when the Metro pass allowed on to ride the Commuter Buses and the Dash buses. No longer! This is the reason that La Taupe always says: Every "shakeup" [bi-annual schedule changes] we end up paying more for less!
Everyone associated with the LACMTA should hang their collective heads in shame as a result of this blatant attempt at increasing fare collections and further pick the pockets of the working poor.
Do their bonuses increase by 25% whenever a given accounting period's fare collections increase by 5%?
Especially, now that la Taupe finds, from discussion with someone who assured me that this is true, Day Passes may be purchased at Toonerville Trolley [light rail] stations! Once again it is rail-centric
thinking on the part of the LACMTA.
When politicians involve themselves in technical matters, expect
failures.
failures.
Imagining a white Board in the LACMTA's MEETING ROOM
CEO's Question Time
The Mole's 2019 New Year's Wishes.
Dear LACMTA:
Here are su Topo's 2019 New Year wishes; which I would like you to read and then implement solutions. If the LACMTA will make them come true, If that happens, it will be the triumph of hope over experience!
That the LACMTA would be more open rather than secretive. For example, reporting to us how much they spent to put up and take down the STOP NUMBER signs. And exactly why the signs were removed. Then again, some of the signs seem to be reappearing? Can they make up their minds? Yes, and then again, No.
That the LACMTA would be more considerate of the needs of their ridership.
That LACMTA would provide more and better security aboard trains and buses.
Conversely, my New YEAR WISH is that the RIDERSHIP would would have better manners. The answer to "Please remove your feet from the seats", should be, "yes, I'm Sorry". Not a string of curses and arguments — and this from a "lady"? Is it any wonder that more usual people try public transportation and soon give up? It is a function of SECURITY and good order. But since the LACMTA "management", except for the rare, politically motivated, photo op, how could they even know what their "service" is really like.
And yet they boast and perhaps they actually believe that Olympic visitors will become enamored with the fifth-rate "service" which they supply.
I wish that for the new year and forward, that the LACMTA would supervise their contractors so that the contractor's drivers would not "entertain"riders by turning off the ASA and then singing out stops. many, if not most riders want a safe, quiet trip so that they can listen to personal audio equipment, sleep, read or just sit quietly.
Why can't the LACMTA install some sort of operator activated strobe light signal to communicate from one bus to another that it desires to transfer passenger(s). They have been doing this for years; I first observed it in operation in the late 1990s, when I was working on a project for several months, in Phoenix. See details of the system which seems effective relatively inexpensive here.here.
Why should it require years to improve service, just have your staff read this and all back issues of this blog and they will have a work list to start on, like, right away! Oh, you are very welcome Mr. Washington!
I wish that someone could explain why the LACMTA, given the many weaknesses in its poorly conceived and executed transfer system was allowed to go forward given the following: nor audit ability, no refund provision, it anyone's guess as how much is deducted from their TAP card. When fare boxes are out of service (as they seem to be in the case of a large fraction of M. V. Transportation bus lines (e.g., (Line 125 etc). it is my estimate that a transfer will not be possible and full Muni fare will be deducted instead of the transfer fare.
OCTA - is not a party to the LACMTA'S "Let's eliminate paper transfers" effort. This cuts off a wide swath of transportation options, to the north (think Fullerton), south really the ENTIRE OCTA area. See map below.
OCTA Service Area♪
I wish that they'd be brought back into the fold.
I wish that the LACMTA could consider their ridership as people with limited incomes, whose transportation of last resort is the Metro "system". Mostly they can't rent bicycles, scooters and certainly not cars to convey them to train station or bus stops.
I wish that they would be provided neighbourhood "circulator buses", which would accept their monthly passes at commute times.
I wish that they would be provided neighbourhood "circulator buses", which would accept their monthly passes at commute times.
\
An unwelcome sign: (There are lots of them in Los Angeles!♪
Notices like these are frequently seen around or near bus stops. Businesses don't want LACMTA passengers in their facilities, neither does the LACMTA want to provide any creature comforts for their passengers.
The new restrooms at the newly constructed LAXCBC♪
Sorry, these, as noted by the graffitists, are for the Metro drivers ONLY, not the passengers! Oh, and by-the-way, Olympic visitor, unless they come from third-world countries, will not like the lack of facilities either!
No Stop Number Sign here either♪
How should they have done this? Just lie they did in the Big Apple
Close Enough for LACMTA Work♪
Please translate the view above to a 2019 wish that LACMTA would train their drivers to position their buses at the bus stop "flag", close enough to the curb to be a safe, easy step away. This guy is about a metre away from the curb! This driver thinks that passengers can easily reach the curb —which is obviously too far a way for a safe exit. Either the drivers are not trainable or they just don't care. which do you think it is?
—
Good Enough for LACMTA Work♪
Another 2019 wish is that the LACMTA would supervise their bus stop cleaning contractors so that they actually clean the bus stop, not just do the absolute minimum. Shown above is an often seen condition, the dustbin inside the metal frame is emptied, well eventually. In this case the plastic liner has been removed and positioned adjacent to, above in the photo, the metal frame is adjacent to, below in the photo. But, within the metal frame, at the bottom waste continues to collect without ever being emptied. It accumulates in situ, over weeks or months, perhaps even years. Of course, the LACMTA makes no provision to follow up, supervise contractors or penalise poor work.
The LACMTA seems stymied as to how to deal with this situation. So, su Topo will advise them: (1) Send a letter to the CEO of each organisation which has the responsibility of cleaning bus stops. Say, "Payments will not be made when stops show that cleaning has not been properly performed. The portion held back will represent the total owed divided by the number of stops in the contract —the amount to clean a single stop— multiplied by the stops which have been inspected and found to be inadequately cleaned.;2) inspect the stops, note and photograph the deficiencies. You should see a flurry of activity to remediate the problems. You will also experience a decrease in poorly cleaned stops. There is a term for this activity, it is called MANAGEMENT! There is also a term for the manner in which the LACMTA presently conducts business in this area. It is called "paying good money for fourth-rate work".
In 2019 I wish that the LACMTA would supervise their contractors, like MV Transportation, to set the volume of their on board stop announcements, dispatch radios, etc., below the threshold of pain. [why can't they use the same "telephone" system used by Metro?]at a comfortable listening level.
Another Badly Positioned Bus .♪
2019-06-12 morning ITC [Although this could be any bus stop anywhere]: As I waited for a bus, the bus pictured above (sort of) pulled up to curb. It is dangerous for elderly riders to make the long step down. It seems, and this may be a close call, that the lady drivers park this way slightly more than the men —it was a lady driver in this case!
I'd like to show a bus parked well but, believe me, I haven't seen very many!
Mr Washington: Sooner or later a senior citizen, with bad eyesight or poor depth perception or BOTH, will step down from a rear bus exit, misjudge the distance and fall and perhaps, tragically end up partly under the bus, only to be run over! This in spite of your recorded on board announcement to: "Be careful when exiting the bus [they should add] "because many drivers park so poorly at bus stops!" [Mole addition]
How you should be addressing the problem, Mr. Washington: Have your supervisors pay attention to the drivers' parking styles. When they do a poor job, such as the lady above, issue them an invitation to attend remedial training on the following Saturday. That Saturday should train them as how to park at a bus-stop as a professional should or receive another free invitation to a training day the next Saturday. Oh, and it should be a three strikes and you're out; because they can hone their skills during the workweek!
La Taupe can no longer keep from expressing his opinion about the state of the LACMTA's / Metro's on board Wi-Fi. Today he rode aboard three buses, the first ride was short so he didn't try to use Wi-Fi; It was UNAVAILABLE on the next two. The self promotion slogan, "It's all for you!", rings even falser when put to the test.
Mr. Washington: I believe,for good reasons, that you bought the cheapest access points you could find. Probably designed to be used in a home office.
When actually, you should be spending more and purchasing industrial strength equipment that can take the pounding which accompanies being installed on bard a bus which weighs between 25,000 and 40,000 pounds (11337.8684807 kg ~ 18140.5895692kg)
What is required is that bus operators check the Wi-Fi at the beginning and
end of their shift and turn in complaints to IT at the end of their shift so that IT could remediate the problems. Then the buses could leave in the morning with Wi-Fi which works!
I can't really believe that anyone checked with other transportation companies and see what equipment they recommended. Then following up whit metro staff using that carrier's system and then checking a significant sample of the carrier's ridership to determine their level of enchantment.
As an example, this Mole's satisfaction quotient with your installed Wi-Fi system does NOT rise to any level of enchantment.
In the aftermath of a recycler♪
Things Olympic visitors will love about the LACMTA "system".
2019-07-20 morning: While waiting for a bus, su Topo watches a recycler
litter the area as he scrounges for things of value.
Here we find that again, they have enough strength to pull things out of the dust bus while scrounging for bottles and cans; but not enough strength to return things to their proper place!
Other things Olympic visitors will love: the cursing, arguments and fights aboard transportation; the cacophony of loud (boring) cell calls; the playing of incompatible music loudly by several riders; Unrequested singing by one's fellow riders.
Threading their way through aisles and exits blocked by trash bags stuffed with recyclables and sometimes leaking; Shopping carts, home built conveyances; and sometimes, such as this morning, by a 21+ stone man, who although not Méxicano, because of his ability to completely prevent one from passing him in the aisle and his slow pace, I'll call "La Puerta".
Exactly whoº is the LACMTA working for?
It is not the ridership! The ridership is not interested in whether 28 half-vast projects are completed by 2028!
Their interests are more along the lines of where can I find a Bloody Loo?
The LACMTA has deluded itself that those who visit Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics will fall in love with the LACMTA's feeble efforts at the LACMTA. Those who come from an area with rapid transit will not. Those who come from the fly-over part of the country, who really have no basis of comparison, may think it's great. Your Mole is a good predictor; he has experienced the world's greatest transportation systems: New York' Chicago; Tokyo; London; Paris; Mexico City; Seoul; etc.
Even Atlanta with about one half million population has a grade separated link to it's airport (Hartsfield-Jackson). It takes one from the city directly to the airport!
I mean DIRECTLY to the airport. Not some convoluted plan that uses multiple transfers, along with the attendant schlepping of luggage —won't that be fun and as an added benefit one can cross a visit to the "hood" off his bucket list!
And talk about crowded; Tokyo's Yamanote-Sen is crowded! They use real full scale rail cars! Not the tiny, coffin-like Expo Line cars (no doubt the cheapest things available) (and perhaps these minis will be used on the Crenshaw Line, too) La Taupe can easily touch the ceiling of these cars, while taller men may strike their heads. Better increase your insurance coverage, LACMTA!
New York's subways are often crowded too, but again, they use full size cars. Seoul's subways are crowded and the cars are full size, bigger than the Los Angeles' Toonerville Trolleys. Su Topo was offered a seat on a subway by a Korean man, who he thanked in Korean "kamsahamnida", and declined his offer of a seat.
Who will give their seats to Olympic visitors? Not the homeless, stretched out asleep, not the people who sit across two seats with their legs bent and their feet on the seat next to the aisle. Not the people who use on seat for their [Select as many as required: hand bag; back pack; boxes full of plastic bags; shopping carts: etc., etc.] And good luck to whomever follows these people who leave who know what sort of stain producing leavings on the seats?
I wish in 2019 that LACMTA would collect fares from all passengers —as they do in Las Vegas— [see also security above] rather than having income be drained away —it is a crime, theft of services AND very likely is a breach of fiduciary responsibility, on the part of the LACMTA management for failing to obtain ALL REVENUE DUE TO THEM!
As I ride. I estimate, conservatively, that I witness a MINIMUM of 2 people per bus that have zero balance TAP cards or say "courtesy ride" or walk on past the driver without saying a word. Given a 19 hour day and 6,000 buses, the total amount LOST would be: $399,000
LAWA Flyaway Bus with a METRO tribute!♪
In 2019 it is wished that the LACMTA 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 or incompetency!
Riding LACMTA services is generally not that pleasant to begin with and is only made more unpleasant by experiencing the above "punishments".
Can this be true?♪
As I walked the halls of the Taj Mahal this month, as the guest of an employee who was not aware that he was talking to the Mole, la Taupe looked through the open door of a room identified as the Office of Exceptional Ineptitude and took the photo shown above. It must be true because, as I rack my brain, I can add no accomplishment to their list.
LACMTA Limits♪
As I looked more carefully, at the other end of the room I saw another white board, took a photo of it and placed that photo above. You may not be aware that the LACMTA was criticised for spending taxpayers' money on entertaining themselves. It is good to note that the criticism was effective and they now have fixed spending limits on their entertainment.
Additional Suggestions for the New Year (2019)
LACMTA: here are some things which you can easily improve.
Institute a 740 stop at Imperial BL to connect with the 120 line.
Presently, riders of the southbound 740 must walk a longish one block plus plus and then endure a very dangerous crossing of the two lane on ramp of the 105 freeway!
Allow for request stops so as to better intersect with desired transfer buses. When a bus must stop for a red light at a curb and a metro stop is just steps away from the curb, allow passengers to exit. Example: The situation described just above exists at the intersection of Century BL and Hawthorne BL with the 40/740 northbound lines crossing South-North and the South bound 40/740 lines crossing North-South. If the Eastbound 117 stops for a red light at the SOUTH-West corner of the intersection, riders, like me –frequently, could walk a few steps in safety to catch the bus. Usually riders like me are FORCED by some edict that is supposed to be for “safety” to ride the 117 to the stop at the SOUTH-EAST corner of the intersection than cross BUSY, BUSY Hawthorne BL, after a long wait for a walk light, then doge heavy traffic to get back where they were (on the bus) minutes ago. Often the view they get of the 40/740 is the of tail-lights of the departing bus; missed it!!
Moving the bus stop at 96th Street and Airport BL just a few feet South so that no vehicle could pass a stopped bus. This is so easy, even for the LACMTA, that it is a no brainer. Eventually, someone who debused at the stop, in the midst of crossing 96th Street, will be struck and seriously injured or killed by a vehicle which zoomed around the stopped bus.
Re-route the 232 Line legacy path that is an artifact of one way streets which no longer exist. It wastes fuel, imposes unnecessary wear and tear on buses and travels an unnecessarily elongated route. The present route, and this applies only to the Northbound 232: turns left (EAST) from Sepulveda at Mariposa; follows Mariposa to NASH where it turns right (SOUTH) and proceeds to the bus stop and drops Green line passengers and picks up Long Beach bound passengers backtracks to Grand AV where it turns right; proceeds to Sepulveda where it turns right over-running it's first traverse. This is an artifact of a long-ago changed pattern of one-way streets.
The Mole's suggested reroute (for years): from Sepulveda turn right at Grand AV; proceed EAST to Nash; turn left and drop Green Line MARIPOSA STATION PASSENGERS on the EAST SIDE OF NASH; and pickups LAX bound passengers there as well; Make a left turn onto Mariposa; proceeds to Sepulveda where it make a right turn onto existing route. The existing stop at Sepulveda, just north of Grand, can be served from a new stop at Grand, just east of Sepulveda.
A new stop on the North Side of Mariposa at Continental will be necessary.
The SOUTHBOUND 232 can continue on its' current route without change; EXCEPT that it would be ideal to loop through Plaza El Segundo by turning left off Sepulveda into South Hughes Way; then following the route of the WESTBOUND 125 through Plaza El Segundo; Exiting at Park PLace with a left turn onto Sepulveda.
The LACMTA hates to move bus stops even when it is necessary and they end up with a ridiculous route.
The 115 Westbound bus, near the end of the route, passes the northwest corner of Sepulveda Bl and La Tijera BL located at Sepulveda Bl and La Tijera Bl; which shopping center has a large supermarket, a pharmacy, a bank, and quite a few restaurants. Instituting a request stop there would require no expense and only a brief stop to discharge passengers. In the past there was a bus stop sited there; until it was removed. Perhaps it was too convenient! It would be nice to see the LACMTA do something for its' ridership! How about it?
Then there is the 117 Line stop at Century BL and Aviation Bl near LAX. The stop was relocated to the north EAST corner of Century and Aviation while he Crenshaw Line flyover of Century Bl was being constructed. Now, years later the construction has been completed but the stop remains. Both CCMBL and BBB stop on the northeast corner of the Century Bl and Aviation Bl —in fact those organisation never changed their bus stops. This means that 117 Line passengers must debus at the stop on the northeast corner of Aviation BL, as noted above, cross a very busy intersection and walk almost a full block in total to make that connection. LACMTA!, revert to the former bus stop and save your passengers some hassle and provide a smooth transfer experience.
The Mole's suggested reroute (for years): from Sepulveda turn right at Grand AV; proceed EAST to Nash; turn left and drop Green Line MARIPOSA STATION PASSENGERS on the EAST SIDE OF NASH; and pickups LAX bound passengers there as well; Make a left turn onto Mariposa; proceeds to Sepulveda where it make a right turn onto existing route. The existing stop at Sepulveda, just north of Grand, can be served from a new stop at Grand, just east of Sepulveda.
A new stop on the North Side of Mariposa at Continental will be necessary.
The SOUTHBOUND 232 can continue on its' current route without change; EXCEPT that it would be ideal to loop through Plaza El Segundo by turning left off Sepulveda into South Hughes Way; then following the route of the WESTBOUND 125 through Plaza El Segundo; Exiting at Park PLace with a left turn onto Sepulveda.
The LACMTA hates to move bus stops even when it is necessary and they end up with a ridiculous route.
The 115 Westbound bus, near the end of the route, passes the northwest corner of Sepulveda Bl and La Tijera BL located at Sepulveda Bl and La Tijera Bl; which shopping center has a large supermarket, a pharmacy, a bank, and quite a few restaurants. Instituting a request stop there would require no expense and only a brief stop to discharge passengers. In the past there was a bus stop sited there; until it was removed. Perhaps it was too convenient! It would be nice to see the LACMTA do something for its' ridership! How about it?
Then there is the 117 Line stop at Century BL and Aviation Bl near LAX. The stop was relocated to the north EAST corner of Century and Aviation while he Crenshaw Line flyover of Century Bl was being constructed. Now, years later the construction has been completed but the stop remains. Both CCMBL and BBB stop on the northeast corner of the Century Bl and Aviation Bl —in fact those organisation never changed their bus stops. This means that 117 Line passengers must debus at the stop on the northeast corner of Aviation BL, as noted above, cross a very busy intersection and walk almost a full block in total to make that connection. LACMTA!, revert to the former bus stop and save your passengers some hassle and provide a smooth transfer experience.
Trash cans? We don't need no trash cans!
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???♪
Su Topo 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?
Edward F. King, Director of Transit Services
City of Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus
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.
Further, when the agency responsible for public transportation is so lacking in every skill necessary for success yet will apply their only tool to the job. when your only tool is a PR flack; then every issue seem soluble by issuing a boastful press release.
Further, when the agency responsible for public transportation is so lacking in every skill necessary for success yet will apply their only tool to the job. when your only tool is a PR flack; then every issue seem soluble by issuing a boastful press release.
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.
2018-09-30 [Not updated for a while but la Taupe is confident that the incursions continue. One video will suffice for the many.
In this video you will see Enterprise Rant-A-Car Shuttles cutoff a 111 Line bus. It represents the typical dangerous incursion of other traffic across a solid white line into the bus' lane
These incursions happen multiple times per day so it is only a matter of time before an accident occurs.
Airport auto rental shuttle drivers, FlyAway 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 nor 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.
Mr. Washington, 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 Line drivers, it is a task for which the LACMTA so far has proved to be inadequate.
Office of Exceptional Ineptitude♪
Rumour Central
The plans are not yet final but there are leaks to the effect that the OOEI has considered out maneuvering Elon Musk, after the good press which obtained after he detailed his high-speed subway transportation system.
A Filthy Bus Stop, number 07547.♪
When one encounters a situation like this, try to rectify it by calling the number below which usually appears on the bus bench. When the stop is cleaned, the detritus inside the metal framework and under the blue litter can is almost never removed. The word "fifth rate" comes to mind. Also the words unsupervised and/or poorly managed play a large role in the way the LACMTA interfaces, if they do actually interface, with their contractors. This is a simple thing to correct; just supervise the vendors tasked to do the cleanup!
An even Filthier Bus Stop, number 08670.♪
This scene makes a statement about management; really about how management is breaching their fiduciary responsibility. Taxpayer funds are spent on cleaning bus stops; in actuality, taxpayer funds are paid to vendors who are contracted to clean the bus stops, whether the vendors do a good or extremely poor job, as in the situation pictured above.
Bus stop benches often have a contact number affixed to them. I can't say always because as you have seen, the LACMTA seems to lack effective processes —they could never conform to ISO 9000 requirements—.
As for calling maintenance, la Taupe called once, and surprise, no action was taken.
As for calling maintenance, la Taupe called once, and surprise, no action was taken.
Bottle Scavengers took the plastic liner!♪ Stop number ITC♪
As one can see, the plastic liner is missing; taken to hold recycled bottles, most likely.
A contractor cleans up ITC♪
Pictured above, we can see an LACMTA contractor, WMS, putting ITC in order. As I waited for 740 bus, the four man crew was hard at work.
2018-09-15 Another cleaning crew is at work at the ITC on this Saturday Morning. They are using a pressure hose stream to clean up, most of, but not all the blobs of gum which dot the pavement of the Center. It looks quite good when compared to an earlier state; Perhaps they need the hoses employed by BBB to remove all traces of the blobs? However, some users seem unfamiliar with the concept of a rubbish bin.
2018-09-15 Another cleaning crew is at work at the ITC on this Saturday Morning. They are using a pressure hose stream to clean up, most of, but not all the blobs of gum which dot the pavement of the Center. It looks quite good when compared to an earlier state; Perhaps they need the hoses employed by BBB to remove all traces of the blobs? However, some users seem unfamiliar with the concept of a rubbish bin.
Extremely Dirty Parada!♪
It appears that the recyclers have attacked this rubbish bin, too. Emptying its contents and then taking the plastic liner and anything that could be recycled.
A theory of personal development to which I subscribe, suggests that one should never point out a problem without proposing a solution.
The Problem - trash bins only partly emptied like the one shown above.
A theory of personal development to which I subscribe, suggests that one should never point out a problem without proposing a solution.
Solving the problem.♪
It would also be best practice to stencil the bus stop number as your Mole did in his photo.
Here is a view with the plastic container removed.♪
It is easy to see, and remove the trash, perhaps, with a rake like implement. Rather than let it accumulate month, after month, after month! Which sloppy work provide food for insects and rodents which in turn, become vectors for diseases.
This Container has been attacked by a recycler!♪
Then too, one must not place too much blame on the cleaners —because the LACMTA makes no attempt to quality control, inspect or oversee the work.
An Even Dirtier Parada!♪
2018-09-23 at the bus stop located at the south-east corner of the intersection of Santa Monica and Sepulveda Blvds, I see one of the dirtiest Bus Stops in Los Angeles. The LACMTA loves to boast about how tourists during the Olympic Games will be surprised that Los Angeles has such an "advanced transportation System". I say that they will be shocked to see how Los Angeles has such a "Third Worldly like transportation System".
A Stairway at a rail Station.♪
As almost everything associated with the LACMTA it is abominably maintained. In this case some riders cannot hold on their rubbish until they can properly dispose of it. Their thoughtlessness endangers their fellow riders, who could slip on the thoughtlessly disposed of plastic or other slippery materials and fall; all compounded by the fact that the LACMTA seems to be in no hurry to cleanup the mess.
The conditions pictured above a clear indication that the LACMTA is incapable of managing its' contractors. Su Topo never hesitates to offer his considered opinion.
There is no question that the LACMTA lacks an organisational structure to manage those who supply contract services to the agency. So, here is a solution: Stop all bonus payments to management and any others who are presently paid bonuses. The bonus, for people who adequately preform their job functions should be that they keep their jobs. Generally, LACMTA management are overpaid and supplied with too many perks. The perks, too, should be greatly reduced. Chauffeurs and company supplied cars should be eliminated. There are lots of buses and riding them may help management understand what is wrong with their system, e.g., too many free rider and some, perhaps only a few, rude operators.
Management should focus on the Metro ridership, making things move faster, smoother and more comfortable along with providing the much needed restrooms along the way.
Unfortunately, the management. IMHO, thinks that their job is to sit in the Taj Mahal and dream up ways to spend money.
The conditions pictured above a clear indication that the LACMTA is incapable of managing its' contractors. Su Topo never hesitates to offer his considered opinion.
There is no question that the LACMTA lacks an organisational structure to manage those who supply contract services to the agency. So, here is a solution: Stop all bonus payments to management and any others who are presently paid bonuses. The bonus, for people who adequately preform their job functions should be that they keep their jobs. Generally, LACMTA management are overpaid and supplied with too many perks. The perks, too, should be greatly reduced. Chauffeurs and company supplied cars should be eliminated. There are lots of buses and riding them may help management understand what is wrong with their system, e.g., too many free rider and some, perhaps only a few, rude operators.
Management should focus on the Metro ridership, making things move faster, smoother and more comfortable along with providing the much needed restrooms along the way.
Unfortunately, the management. IMHO, thinks that their job is to sit in the Taj Mahal and dream up ways to spend money.
Further evidence of the LACMTA's approach to maintenance.♪
We know that this is the Metro, but really, what are you trying to tell us?
An Accident Waiting to Happen!♪
Confused drivers, pedestrians, tired Train Operators, or any combination or permutation of these, which at grade level, can cause fatalities. Note the downward slope of the tracks which can result in an additional operator workload in controlling trains.
Oops, trip on this OOEI artifact and you'll be under the bus!♪
Extremely sloppy work! A bus stop flag pole was removed here leaving the pole's foundation very near the curb, for children, the aged or anyone at all to trip over and fall into the street. If one was hurrying, one might well end up under the wheels of the bus. All that needed to be done here was to remove the four nuts holding the base in place, remove the base and then with a metal cutting blade saw the protruding bolts level with the concrete. A professional worker could perform the job in minutes. But the LACMTA's failure to supervise its' workers or contractors results in the situation depicted above. Worse yet, is the LACMTA's failure to see what has to be done.
How will the LACMTA solve this problem? Well, the LACMTA will hold a series of meeting over months and then likely forget about the problem.
Your Mole proposes this solution: Whenever a training bus is covering a route, on the first and last trip of route training, the operator being trained and the trainer would both alight at each stop and check it for safety. Both parties would fill out a bus stop safety report. That way new operators would be indoctrinated into a culture of safety and know how to report bus stop safety issues; the experienced trainer would add to his/her knowledge and be able to discuss issues he/she had seen with their trainee.
Brilliant idea Mole! Hardly that, but it is logical thinking.
This is not related to the Office of Incredible Ineptitude, but rather another BBB work product which serves to show how a more honest transportation provider names their supplier's product, i.e., correctly, viz., "nextbus" and they kept the stop numbers and texting in place as a benefit for its ridership.
The nextbus.com site, a valuable tool!♪
The Sign Most Dreaded by LACMTA Riders!♪
One can't find a loo when they are most needed! Does anyone really believe that the LACMTA management really cares? After all, they just tell their chauffeur to pull into the nearest coffee shop so that they can have a "break".
They are going to spend $8,000,000 on a few new restrooms and the rehab of a few more at Union Station! When will those restrooms be ready? La Taupe's estimate: it will be a couple of years and the restrooms in Union Station will likely be out of service for a long while too.
They are going to spend $8,000,000 on a few new restrooms and the rehab of a few more at Union Station! When will those restrooms be ready? La Taupe's estimate: it will be a couple of years and the restrooms in Union Station will likely be out of service for a long while too.
How BBB Gets It Done!♪
This worker, using a high pressure delivery system leaves a clean, really clean bus stop. Not like the messes found at LACMTA Transportation Centers, such as ITC! And at the many filthy bus stop around the city. Well ITC was cleaned up, kind of, but the outlines of the gum blobs were retained. How about a do0over with a higher pressure hose?
BBB has Nextbus!♪
This is not related to the Office of Incredible Ineptitude, but rather another BBB work product which serves to show how a more honest transportation provider names their supplier's product, i.e., correctly, viz., "nextbus" and they kept the stop numbers and texting in place as a benefit for its ridership.
While the LACMTA, sneakily, er, covertly did away with the many, if not most, of the stop numbers without offering a word of explanation.
Nextbus on my iPhone, it's GREAT!♪
I simply opened the nextbus.com site using my browser, it took over asked permission to use my location, which permission I granted and voilà; I was presented with all the bus availability at stops within reasonable walking distance of my position. Shown above is on the first screen of several. importantly, there is no need for an "app", because since Tim Cook stopped updating my iPhone at iOS6 which then froze all my apps, which, although had updates available, they were denied to me. When this iPhone fails, I'm going with Samsung!
The nextbus.com site, a valuable tool!♪
But, where there is the will, there is a way. Su Topo visited the nextbus page at Next Bus: Using the drop down menu; set the bus route number to 130 (Or your desired choice of the route; selected the stop that I have used and will be using at some other time in the future, to Hawthorne Blvd and Artesia and voila, the stop number "00147" was filled in for me.
Now I can note that stop number and its location in my agenda and soon I will have reconstructed the subset of stop numbers which I require.
It would had been much easier if the LACMTA,stupidity, er, I mean, with lack of intelligence, had not rushed to waste money and removed the stop number signs which had cost quite a bit to install in the first place.
Please contemplate Mole's Law Number 1: "When politicians involve themselves in technical matters, expect failures."
This is the way the LACMTA should have done it. Fast, simple and understandable.
Now I can note that stop number and its location in my agenda and soon I will have reconstructed the subset of stop numbers which I require.
It would had been much easier if the LACMTA,
Please contemplate Mole's Law Number 1: "When politicians involve themselves in technical matters, expect failures."
They Should Have just placed the stop number as shown by your Mole, above♪
That way the numbering system would have had relevance far into the future. it could been adapted to emergency services, 911 reporting when an incident occurs away from numbered houses or people have trouble pronouncing local street or intersection names.
Stenciling the numbers on the bus flag is economical and efficient - if you know what your Mole means. But no,the LACMTA seems to act before it thinks.
Stenciling the numbers on the bus flag is economical and efficient - if you know what your Mole means. But no,the LACMTA seems to act before it thinks.
LDOT has nice Stop Numbers!♪
This is the way the LACMTA should have done it. Fast, simple and understandable.
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.
Gina Marie Lindsey (LAWA Executive Director (2007-2015)
An "homage" to her "contribution" to LAX 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 former contemporary, the former bus driver who was 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 against public transportation directly serving LAX. She stymied the "transportation directly-to-airport access pattern" used by many, if not most, world-class airports, to wit, "you go under the airport, it is fraught with problems, ...” [hardly a get it done attitude!].
The Mole readsΩ the papers and other things, obviating the necessity of your doing so.
Where available, links to the reporting is provided in “Works Cited”, Vide infra. Please use the links to read the complete articles because your Mole can only include "fair use" portions and, of course, you will have a more complete understanding of the story.
The Los Angeles
Daily News reports (Munguia) that what was thought of as a temporary service
between Downtown Long Beach Downtown Los Angeles will become permanent.
Interesting, isn’t it that although by the end of October 2019 the Blue line
will be back in service and, at least, 7 minutes faster, that the bus ridership
wants the service to continue.
If you’ve ever
made the trip as I have, you won’t wonder why the bus might be a better
alternative.
Amny.com covers
(Brown) the rising deaths of cyclists in New York City. Ms Brown produced a
highly readable piece well supplemented with an informative map. Ms Brown
wrote: The mayor [de Blasio] described the state of cycling in the city as a
"crisis" and "emergency."
Amny.com also informs us (Cook) about Wi-Fi security. Ms Cook writes:
“You arrive at the subway — coffee in one hand and your phone in the other —
and quickly log into the Wi-Fi before firing off emails as you head to work.
It’s a morning routine for many a multitasker in New York City, but it also
poses hidden dangers.”
Of course, you should read this article if you plan
to visit New York City.
However in Los Angeles, our
LACMTA, has it's “all for you” protection in operation. It is in place due to the
fact that hardly any Los Angeles LACMTA Wi-Fi ever operates; if it does
operate it doesn’t operate for very long.
The Chicago
Tribune reports (Wisniewski) a nice story about how the CTA (Chicago Transit
Authority is providing buttons to expectant ladies which is a cute way of
asking for a seat.
Ms Wisniewski writes: “CTA officials started
talking about the button project last year, and looked at similar programs in
London and New York City, said spokesman Brian Steele. It’s an extension of the
CTA’s courtesy campaign, which urges riders to pick up their trash and not
block doors. He
said many customers are too focused on their phones or their books to notice
that someone may need a seat”.
See a graphic of the button and Ms Wisniewski's story here
This is an example of something for the ridership! Are you listening LACMTA?
The Chicago
Business Journal inform us (Lazare) that the Chicago Transit Authority Wi-Fi
will be expanded to Key Rail Stations. .your Mole went back a few months for
this story because it fits his theme of good Wi-Fi Bad Wi-fi. Mr. Lazare wrote: “The city's transit agency
hope the added Wi-Fi connectivity will make the public transit system more
appealing to customers.”
Los Angeles it is
just another LACMTA annoyance since it seems to be extremely
unreliable.
The Mercury News tells us (Baldassari) about federal funding
for a Bart (Rapid Transit) expansion project in San Jose.
Ms Baldassari wrote: “The $125 million is expected to
be the first of a larger funding agreement that will be doled out over several
years for the $5.6 billion project, which is expected to be completed in 2026”.
Your Mole intends for this to be a "Fair Use" of the Valley Transportation Authority's Map which shows the planned 4 Station expansion.
"Thank you" to the Valley Transportation Authority for allowing my readers see a map of a Rapid Transit project!
Another Out Of Service Fare Box♪
This Mole has seen numerous Fare Box Failures and can only see problems with a fare box which fails to flag TOSB as valid resulting in the creation of an invalid transfer situation which will be totally uncontrollable by the passenger. And will result in that passenger paying full fare on a Muni (non-LACMTA) Bus instead of a transfer fare.
Usually farebox OOS (Out Of Service) conditions are noted in a special section (below). Beginning with this issue, because an out of service fare box can negatively affect ones transportation; One will likely not be able to add funds to one's Tap Card and will therefore not be conditioned for a transfer; because the "TOSB" flag (as discovered when I reverse engineered the LACMTA's poorly designed and ineptly implemented transfer "system") will not be set in transfer mode.
Ωand sometime listens to various radio broadcasts, podcasts and/or TV Broadcasts.
The LACMTA's Own Crumbling Infrastructure♪
Elevator at the Harbour Freeway Busway Station
Note the filthy condition of this elevator. The LACMTA never seems to fix or clean anything.
The Los Angeles Toonerville Trolley experience♪
Ear to the rail
«la musique avant toute chose.»
Paul Verlaine (1844-03-30~1896-01-08)
[Music before Anything.]
Merci beaucoup pour le à http://evene.lefigaro.fr/citations et à google.fr pour le matériel biographique.
Ars longa vita breva
Henri Rousseau 1844-05-24~1910-09-02); voici son The Centenary of Independence
Merci bien à www.google.fr pour le matériel biographique et à https://fr.wikipedia.org/ pour l'autoportrait du domaine public.
¿Musica?
Orchestre national d'Île-de-France "Flash MOB" performance
Thank you youtube.com for allowing us to see hear these beautiful performances.
Here is something from a musical genre which I hope you'll like.
N.B. Here is the URL for KXLU's embedded player.
Serenata de Trios - KXLU . Musique en Eapañol Sunday evenings Pacific Time
(Monday 02:00 UTC).
Serenata de Trios on KXLU, (88.9 FM Los Angeles) features authentic acoustic musica, which your Mole really likes! :-)
Serenata de Trios on KXLU, (88.9 FM Los Angeles) features authentic acoustic musica, which your Mole really likes! :-)
One can also listen on kxlu.com Then select the Broadcast quality which you desire [Under Quality] at Pacific Time or at the UTC day/time noted above, Record the broadcast if you can. Su topo uses VLC) to Record Internet broadcasts for a more convenient listening time. Here is a pre-programed search for music like that played on Seranata de Trios; so that you can self-curate your musical program. Please use it to find something you like.
Y Muchas gracias a Serenata de Trios y KXLU for their terrific music and inspiration!
Serenata de Trios on KXLU, (88.9 FM Los Angeles) features authentic acoustic musica, which your Mole really likes! :-)
Again,as always, Thank you youtube.com for allowing us to listen to all this beautiful music!
Again,as always, Thank you youtube.com for allowing us to listen to all this beautiful music!
Metro Area – Lower your expectations!♪
Inured? You'd better be inured if your only transportation is Metro! Look at the rear of this bus and see that the prescient graffiti artists have warned you about the future of Los Angeles transportation.♪
The Mole rides again so that he can tell you about the "issues" which a large percentage of the ridership seem to exhibit; saving you the experience.
No Internet Connection!♪
Your Mole has seen this "Ploy" any number of times. Usually in franchised restaurants, e.g, McDonald's, etc. The staff will quickly tell you that lots of people have been using the Wi-Fi without complaining, followed by, "it must be your device!". That will usually be enough for non professionals. Su Topo had a number of diagnostic tools on his iPhone and will show the staff member what is wrong. That will frequently end with the staff member say something like "my boss wants me back in the kitchen".
Aboard LACMTA buses there are no staff members and the drivers don't know much about the system. This allows the LACMTA to say "Free Wi-Fi on board buses is all for you!", while at the same time avoid maintenance costs, new equipment etc. Some months back, this Mole complained about Wi-Fi on the local Dot buses. He could never once establish an Internet connection from one of these buses.
You Mole is confident that the LACMTA bought the absolutely cheapest gear it could find with out an adequate field test which would prove the equipment fit for purpose or not. Please seen the Mole Reads section (vide supra) of this month's posting and find out what other, more competent transportation organizations are doing about mobile Wi-Fi. What is know about the Wi-Fi infrastructure, is that after a change from the former ISP, the newest ISP is a foreign organization named Complex Systems Pte. Perhaps they charged too much or more likely, they couldn't find a way to compensate for the "cheap gear" and make it operable given the rough physical conditions inherent in bus travel.
Cell Phone Lineup♪
2019-09-29 on a Green Line Platform waiting for a train. If you doubt that people are "married to their cell phone, there is one one person in this line not glued to his/her cellphone. Plus the photographer and he is using the phone's internal camera!
Standardisation!♪
2019-08-18:Waiting for a train at Expo Sepulveda Station. Your Mole noted that the Day of week was displayed along with the time and date. He also was struck by the fact that nothing was standardised! So, never missing a chance to educate the LACMTA —Which organisation gives him so many opportunities— So he prepared a better display than that which existed existed; one example the date was shown as 08/18/19! There is an organisation called the ISO Please click the link just to the left and receive an overview of their functions. As an IT professional la Taupe is quite familiar with the date and time standards a brief overview of which will be displayed by the link on the left margin.
The purposes these standards are clarity and specificity. Take time for example 3:15 requires an AM/PM designation to resolve the ambiguity. While 03:15 means very early in the morning and 15:15 (using the 24 hour system) means 3 hours past noon or 3:15 in the afternoon.
Had the united stated adopted in 1988, what has come to be known as ISO 8601 , we would not have had a the rush and stress of Y2K! and you Mole likely wouldn't have spent three years in Asia working on Y2K.
Here is an excellent ISO document regarding time and dates. Before the Y2K remediation we transcribed dates as, for example 01/15/95, meaning January 15, [19]95. Today this Mole would designate the same date as 1995-01-15. As an added benefit no special treatment of date elements is required in order to make data sort properly.
Unfortunately the United States missed an earlier chance to "Go Metric" because our government felt that its' citizens couldn't deal with it. This means that we often manufacture things to fractional inch standards and try to express that dimension in metric terms. The cost to the economy can be shown by knowing that auto mechanics must keep two sets of tools on for U.S. made automobiles and another for imports or automobiles, although made in America use the metric standards of their home countries, e.g. Japanese cars manufactured in America.
We send a special Thank you! to the ISO for their professional work, their excellent documentation and for allowing to share some of their work through our links to them.
Consider the term” “Breach of fiduciary responsibility”. Now, please consider this definition: A breach of fiduciary duty happens if a fiduciary behaves in a manner that contradicts their duty, and there are serious legal implications. (Source: https://www.upcounsel.com/breach-of-fiduciary-duty)
Monies are spent with the approval of the CEO, although the contract administration might be performed by a contracting office, etc. You Mole cannot give legal opinions as he is none of the following: Barrister; Solicitor; or anything else which could be understood as lawyer! However, when contractors are neither supervised nor have quality control applied to their work product, it seems that responsibility should be assigned to some entity in the organization.
In short work is left undone or performed improperly then some entity in the organization must bear the responsibility. In the ASA flaw cited above, which admittedly is a tiny matter; we all understand that the devil is in the details so maters small and large could be resolved. It seems that no one in the LACMTA cares enough to receive full value of the LACMTA’s disbursements —which are really taxpayers dollars, aren’t they?
A better View of the Bottom of the frame and its' uncleaned trash.
How many years has this stuff been there? La Taupe believes that the problem is in the way in which contractor employees identify their job. E.g. "We empty the rubbish containers into our truck and move on". Instead of "We clean bus stops and make them pleasant for the public".
Nice work Republic? I think not! Nice work Mr. Washington? and the LACMTA staff? Sorry, not at all!
When people are paid without verifying their work product, without applying quality control, which is your job LACMTA! Because, obviously, Republic Services isn't interested in quality controlling themselves!
Breach of fiduciary responsibility? Absolutely! You, the LACMTA, are spending the taxpayers funds WITHOUT ensuring that you are receiving full value.
All contractors work should be periodically inspected. Invoices should be required to contain language similar to, "our work product fully complies with the terms of contract number <number>. Failure to comply fully with the terms of the contract can result in a forfeiture of payment(s), contract cancellation and removal from the list of approved contractors.
2019-08-08 Above we can see an Out of Service "Next Bus" display.♪
Not very informative is it? But it has been fairly quickly repaired.
In short work is left undone or performed improperly then some entity in the organization must bear the responsibility. In the ASA flaw cited above, which admittedly is a tiny matter; we all understand that the devil is in the details so maters small and large could be resolved. It seems that no one in the LACMTA cares enough to receive full value of the LACMTA’s disbursements —which are really taxpayers dollars, aren’t they?
Would you like another example? Gladly! Your Mole has commented about the poor job of bus stop cleaning by several vendors.
Here is another vendor, paid by the LACMTA, yet left unsupervised OR who is working under such a poorly detailed contact, that his slip-shod performance is left unchallenged OR some LACMTA entity is not following up!
I approach a bus stop to wait for a bus just as a Republic Service Waste hauling truck is leaving after a Republic employee has "emptied" the rubbish container.
Photo of newly serviced Bus stop Rubbish Container.
2019-08-04 Hmmm, doesn't look that bad from a distance. But wait ... .
Photo of Rubbish Container showing Republic Logo.
Here one can see the "Republic Services Logo" on the Rubbish Container and a have better view of waste left in the bottom of the frame. Which waste can attract pests, be the source of odors, and, show the sloppy work of Republic Services.
How many years has this stuff been there? La Taupe believes that the problem is in the way in which contractor employees identify their job. E.g. "We empty the rubbish containers into our truck and move on". Instead of "We clean bus stops and make them pleasant for the public".
Nice work Republic? I think not! Nice work Mr. Washington? and the LACMTA staff? Sorry, not at all!
When people are paid without verifying their work product, without applying quality control, which is your job LACMTA! Because, obviously, Republic Services isn't interested in quality controlling themselves!
Breach of fiduciary responsibility? Absolutely! You, the LACMTA, are spending the taxpayers funds WITHOUT ensuring that you are receiving full value.
All contractors work should be periodically inspected. Invoices should be required to contain language similar to, "our work product fully complies with the terms of contract number <number>. Failure to comply fully with the terms of the contract can result in a forfeiture of payment(s), contract cancellation and removal from the list of approved contractors.
Not very informative is it? But it has been fairly quickly repaired.
One Giant leap for Anyone.♪
2019-08-09: Can't any LACMTA operators drive?? Apparently not! This broadly shared lack of skill crates a danger for alighting passengers!
Aisle Blockers at work!♪
Most buses have reduced aisle space; caused by luggage etc., big people and a failure of passengers to take a window seat or center themselves in the aisle seat. The man shown above is overlapping the right seat edge; he is not concerned about making the aisle more navigable.
Other hazards: Women who carry large heavy handbags. over their shoulders so that they swing out and strike passengers as they pass. Men can deliver the same punishment if they don't snug up their back packs, leaving shoulder straps and other straps to swing out behind them and strike seated passengers as the pass. It is due to a lack of sensitivity! Olympic Visitors are going to love this human contact, aren't they?
"All for You"? This is the LACMTA's express Raison d'être.
Unfortunately, it is not often followed by action. For example, the LACMTA doesn't provide for rest rooms for the large majority of its' ridership. Therefore this trite saying should be modified as follows: "All for You, except restrooms!"
Here is a partial LACMTA Organizational Organisation Chart.♪
Please note the arrow pointing to the Inspector General he is the individual who should be investigating Waste, Fraud and Abuse and likely making recommendations for actions to prevent it from happening of identifying it proactively, rather than waiting for someone to report it.
2019-08-23 Today, beginning as your Mole enjoyed a cup of coffee and texted for bus arrivals he saw his iPhone display these disappointing results:
METRO DOWN!♪
Retries as late as 13:00 continued to show the inability to reach the server! I proves that the are not running systems with a fail-over mode! The LACMTA's Failure to CHECK this OUTAGE is indication that its' incapacity exists in the IT sphere as well as in transportation.
Each morning he checked the availability of the subsystem, then reported it (as best he could) to the LACMTA. La Taupe understands that it is difficult for them to accomplish actual work when one is sitting on their hands.
On the fourth day the option 1 agent said she would transfer me to Mr. unintelligible which turned out to be the main agency locator telephone tree! It asked me for the extension which the option 1 agent did not supply OR to use the keys to spell the first and last name; I could see that I couldn't easily resolve this situation so I gave up. So far the score is the LACMTA 4, Mole 0!
On the fifth day of the outage he tried to use option 2 ("For Customer Complaints or Concerns") of the LACMTA's "help". Su Topo explained the problem and the "agent" said he couldn't do anything! My only request of him was that he take ownership of the problem and see that it is passed on to someone who could take action on it. To me this doesn't seem like an onerous task.The best he could do was transfer me to his boss "Anthony" whose Voice Mail asked me to leave a message; I went through the explanation again. On the morning the sixth day, I was disappointed to find that texting was still "down". This Mogura felt that the problem definitely belonged under the rubric of "For Customer Complaints or Concerns". Unfortunately the LACMTA employee who answered my call did not share my feelings!
Today's Option 1 agent was professional and took my report to pass it on to someone would take action!
She must have done so, because, when I tried about an hour later, texting was working (sort of).
This is what I meant by sort of worked: I entered Metro and a stop number. The system returned a list of the four buses which stopped there. When I entered "d" in order to select the arrival time for a 704 Line bus, the system failed! In that it produce another list of 13 buses, which I can assure you DO NOT STOP at this location. Two of the bus lines, the 20 and the 720 run relatively far away on Wilshire BL.
Your Mole dutifully called the LACMTA to report this problem and the pre-recorded message said: "All of our agents are busy ..." .
2019-08-23: Your Mole is aboard a 40 Line bus headed for the South Bay
—specifically Redondo Beach. The bus abruptly terminates its' route after an "End of Line" from the driver. So, la Taupe walks the six blocks to his next planned stop, then waits for another 4 Line bus in order to continue his trip.
2019-08-26 The "Text for Arrival" system is still down. This is the sixth day during which, at least part of the day, the only reply to a text containing "Metro stop# was "EC0028", i.e. Error Code 0028! The ineptness of this dysfunctional organisation is pervasive.
Trying again later, this was the result which obtained:
Note that the 607 bus has disappeared from the list! It should not have as the 607 services stop number 30004!
2019-08-28: This is the one week anniversary of the texting failure with everything seemingly in operation :-)
NOTHING works at the LACMTA
2019-08-29: I tried to learn a bus arrival time before I left home this morning.
Here is the result:
NO PREDICTIONS♪
This is a bus to LAX Airport which usually runs on something like an hourly schedule. "No predictions", essentially means, Duh?
This is the second day of texting being up, I thought??
2019-08-29 On-board Wi-Fi Update
The On-board Wi-Fi situation has gotten much worse; it has been over a week since su Topo could establish anything like a reliable connection. It has become my firm belief that the on-board equipment is not fit for purpose, Vis., said equipment is too flimsy to standing up to the pounding it must take on the streets of Los Angles.
2019-08-29 On Bus 1:
NO WI-FI ON BUS 1!♪
2019-08-29 On Bus 1 At About 08:20
NO WI-FI ON BUS 2!♪
2019-08-29 On Bus 2 At About 08:20; 100% No Service!
So set your expectations EXTREMELY low vis-à-vis having fun surfing the Internet from an LACMTA bus.
Boston is a city your Mole has often visited on business. He tried out the
BMTD+
Trip Planning in Boston♪
Using the BMTA (Boston Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Trip Planner) your Mole planned a trip from Alewife Station (near where he stayed on his last trip to the city) to Boston Logan Airport. The results were presented in a nice clean format. The BMTA is called the "T" in Boston. Clicking on "BMTA" to the left will produce a Kingston Trio song about a man who rode the Boston subway during a fare increase.
Thank you youtube.com for allowing us to listen to this historical humor.
Hidden behind the CCMBL number 6 is the Aviation Bl stop, just south of Arbor Vitae.
2019-05-04: If one could exit the bus at that stop, he would be able to board a 111 Line bus, headed east, just across the street. Th CCMBL number 6 was rerouted due to the closing of Jenny Street to the West. No provsion was made to coordinate these stops, so, one s forces the ride the number 6 to the New LAX City Bus Center, about mile away and then wait for a 111 bus there! Using text messaging, one could decide on the better option IF the stop was really a stop and not a point that was declared a stop for CCMBL. This is really another example of the LACMTA's congenital inability to plan transportation for its' passengers! :-(
A Metro Stop Announcement which produces Silence♪
2019-05-05 But, there is NO NOTICE of how to effect a repair. The LACMTA becomes enamoured with EVERYTHING; these devices soon fall into disrepair!
2019-05 Well, the stops complained about above have been somewhat "repaired".
Another Bus Without Wi-Fi!♪
2019-05-08: N.B. The arrow on the right show WiFi "available".
But that turns out not to be the case.
And another one.♪
Now you see it!♪
Now you don't!♪
Now you see it!♪
The Free Metro WiFi "seems' to be available?♪
Now you don't!♪
But, in fact, it is NOT available! However, there seems to be better service on the way. A source has told your Mole that the LACMTA may be changing ISPs (Internet Service Providers soon) A highly placed, reliable source informs your mole that a new Wi0Fi provider, based in South-East Asia and is said to be Complex Systems Pte Ltd will be in operation soon.
Until then, we are likely to encounter these Wi-iFi issues:
Until then, we are likely to encounter these Wi-iFi issues:
2019-05-29
NO Wi-Fi-1♪
2019-05-30
NO Wi-Fi-2♪
Yet, with all the money on glossy brochures which the agency wastes monthly, they haven't seen fit to produce a simple manual which explains why the user is seeing unable to join this stealth network. Acceptable programming logic would tell us that: "The network is down"; "the signal strength is poor" etc., etc.
Aisle Blocker♪
2019-05-29 Knees Legs, feet, garbage bags full of recyclables and, giant shopping carts!; all things which block bus aisles. This one could have been folded and stowed more conveniently, but that would have required consideration of ones fellow passengers on the part of the passenger.
2019-05-30
Above is the METRO bus stop on the south-west corner of Pico and Sepulveda♪
2019-05-13: Note this this stop is discharge only!, i.e., no boarding.
Above is the Sepulveda & Pico bus stop for the BBB 7 Line♪
2019-05-13: The arrow, outlined in yellow points to the very near Metro bus stop, which has been recently designated as "Discharge Only! This means that a handicapped passenger from a BBB 7 Line (stop shown above) or alighting from a BBB 7 across Pico BL at the stop on the north east corner of Pico and Sepulveda would be denied boarding at this stop. Yes it is less than two city blocks from the Metro bus's final stop; but this could be a difficult distance for a passenger who is physically challenged. Again, simply reviewing the CHANGES made at this site, one would think that the LACMTA is staffed by insensitive ________?_______ (please fill in the blank).
Unleashed Dog on Expo Line platform♪
2019-05-13: A man allows his unleashed dog to roam freely on the platform.
The Dog, now leashed joins us on the train♪
The leashed dog joins us for a ride on the Expo Line "Trolley". I read recently that bearded men harbour more germs in their beards than do dogs in their coats. Right, but that still puts dogs in the number two spot!
Bike Hub at the Culver City Expo Line Station♪
Here is the notice which appears on the Culver City Bike Hub door.♪
2019-05-13 Please read the notice. Construction like "Come on in, (But the door does not open." will help you fill in the blank above. It may help bring words to mind. Also e LACMTA want you to help diagnose their problems for them. It is Hilarious!
"The $1.4-million, 1,600+ square-foot facility is located near the City of Los Angeles and Culver City Expo Line bike-ways for convenient access to and from local destinations."
Your Mole would like to comment that the Bike Hub seems not to be working too well! Especially when one considers the $ 1,000,400,000 price tag, The memo included above does not demonstrate any real effort to get things fixed either. La Taupe has often said that with the LACMTAm maintenance is NOT their strong suite
Oh well. with the LACMTA, if it doesn't work, they can just walk away from it as they have apparently done in other cases and here. also.
New Type Arrival Notices.♪
2019-05-14 It is extremely difficult to produce a good photo of an electronic display, even with my quite good iPhone camera (Please note that my iPhone lacks a built-in radio Your Mole believes that Apple wants you to buy and listen to their Itunes!
La taupe refuses. Apple's Bluetooth sucks, too. Your Mole thinks that they don 't want you to Bluetooth transfer your iTunes music to others. There are several versions of this type which can be seen around Los Angeles. It eliminates texting for arrival time. So bite my tongue as I might; This Mole must use LACMTA and good in the same sentence. Other lines had similar signage which ultimately failed and was never repaired.
In any event, the sign operates as well as one might expect and is readable from the pavement if not from my photo.
Spitting Image♪
2019-05-31 Su Topo rode a bus down La Brea Avenue and took a seat behind a young man who, soon, about every 15 seconds seemed to expectorate on the floor. After he left, la Taupe photographed the disgusting mess he made! One could not make these things up! Great transportation, good security, NO! Tight fisted management, YES!
Another bus aisle blocker!♪
2018-06-06 a typical blocked aisle aboard an LACMTA bus; but frequently the person seated across the aisle would man-spread an place his legs so that they almost touch the luggage across the aisle. There seem no end to ways in which people will block one's ingress/egress.
Rare and useful stop number signage!♪
2019-06-14 While waiting for a 115 bus, your Mole took the photo (above) another of the few stops which actually have the stop number posted/.
Not on the pavement, Please!♪
2019-06-16 Another wait, this time for a 704 Rapid Bus, another photo. This time, one can see the prohibition of of Pavement scooting in the foreground (you will have to click on the photo, perhaps twice); then see both the warning and the two ladies who ignored it and continued on their way and endangered pedestrians, in the background.
I finally boarded the bus and found the only available seat was the rearmost bench. The day was already quite cool and behind me was a fan which circulated chilled air!
Are They all Slobs?♪
2019-06-20 I wait for a bus and look around the stop. What I see makes me conclude that all passengers are slobs! Click on the photo above (Twice for the largest view), and take a look at the litter discarded on the bench —including a discarded cotton bud! Note also, just steps away, the rubbish bin just behind the Orange and white striped safety barrier in the background.
I don't know if all passengers are slobs, perhaps this is just another case of the 98% giving the rest a bad name. However, I will continue to use the appellation, "slob" until I find a more descriptive term.
2019-06-23: This is the Sunday that the new schedules come out (The Shake Up). Amazingl, there are new schedules, for the first time that I can ever remember! But the schedules are not complete!
Here is an annotated sample f the way they should have looked!♪
La Taupe has done what the LACMTA should have done! Viz, include the stop numbers in the schedule, just as they did in Phoenix. You know, best practices. Then riders could text for more accurate arrival information! Not scheduled, but actual arrival times. This is an inclusion that simplifies things for the ridership. Doesn't it Mr. Washington?
Bus 9399 -06-24@ 15:11♪
2019-06-24@ 15:11: Your Mole broke his trip at Inglewood Transit Center in order to document the bus above because of the on board actions of the driver. She seemed to be very much in a hurry, I suspect that it was her last trip of the day because she called for all door boarding and didn't have people TAP in or pay fares. Although she was a Black woman, she said "Vamonos!" There was NOTHING wrong with the fare box because when several of us tapped in earlier in the trip, the farebox was working.
You Mole sees this as a breach of duty; failing to collect fares. If the LACMTA wants to find the driver, I've given them more than enough to do so: Bus number, exact date and time: from the date-time of the photograph. All shown in the photo caption above. Free rides would certainly increase the ridership but who wants to travel with such a rude, "Let's go" type of driver. Not me!
Japan has it all: Bullet Trains, subways, regular commuter trains; all of which are fast, safe and comfortable.
Here is the train which I would like to ride, it is called the "Train Suite Shiki Shima. Here is a look at the on-board accommodations offered by this 100Km/Hr non-bullet train.
JR東様様、本当にありがとうございます。
No FARE = NO RIDE
This is how the Las Vegas RTC (Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada) handles "Free Riders) as opposed to the LACMTA's giving away the store policy!
Bus Flags without Stop Number♪
This is just another example of quite a number of bus flags which don't have stop numbers indicated. The intention was to be able to text the Next Bus, oops, I mean the Next Trip system. This Mole will never understand the reason was it was renamed from the original developers and owners designation, Next Bus, to Next Trip.
Stop Number as a Texting Artifact!♪
These signs are rarely seen these days. But they can be found by the careful observer.
Stop Number as a Texting Artifact!♪
Texting for the bus arrival times has been a highly hyped feature and now stop numbers seem to be disappearing from the flags?
Is this yet another case of the LACMTA becoming enamoured with something that is too costly, or requires too much maintenance to continue? Think TransiTV!
Your mole has theories: Either (1) they put signs up in the wrong order; (2) the texting load was to great for the LACMTA's IT infrastructure; (3) they found a way to charge for the service using an "app";
Your mole has theories: Either (1) they put signs up in the wrong order; (2) the texting load was to great for the LACMTA's IT infrastructure; (3) they found a way to charge for the service using an "app";
These signs keep reappearing, as if by magic?♪
Sometimes you see them, other times you don't!♪
Crenshaw Line - Rapid Transit♪
This portion of the Crenshaw Line is rapid transit, i.e., grade separated (Manchester at La Brea). Lots of places on the Crenshaw Line operate at grade and wait for traffic signals. They have recreated the old Red Line model.
Crenshaw Line - Mess Transit (In Process)♪
This portion of the Crenshaw Line is at grade (Arbor Vitae north of
Aviation) and therefore mass transit. It is a streetcar that will bring traffic on this busy street to a halt and possibly halt itself or definitely proceed at a reduced sped, after the barriers are lowered and then creep across the street.
At one time the LACMTA knew how to build rapid transit, example: the Green Line. They stopped building rapid transit when they felt that saving money was more important. A likely decision when you consider that LACMTA management almost never ride their system. It management rode the lines, all stations and bus centers would have restrooms!
At one time the LACMTA knew how to build rapid transit, example: the Green Line. They stopped building rapid transit when they felt that saving money was more important. A likely decision when you consider that LACMTA management almost never ride their system. It management rode the lines, all stations and bus centers would have restrooms!
The LACMTA Toonerville Trollies
Crenshaw Line, Expo Line (and other lines) as Mess Transit!
Combine rapid and mass Transit in one line and you have created Mess Transit.
Bringing better service to others, by bypassing you♪
So, equal taxation but unequal provision of service that is the LACMTA way. But it is time to bring an end to that approach. This Mole has commented on the Rapid service in the past. Pointing out that Rapid lines don't always stop when the cross other LACMTA lines, nor do they stop at county facilities, e.g., the excellent Los Angeles County Libraries. Why not? Well one could ask the Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Association.
So what if the line took six minutes longer but, some students could get to a library sooner. And while they're at it, stops should be added for Los Angeles City Libraries too!
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.
At one time the LACMTA knew how to build RAPID Mass Transit, viz. the Green Line. Take the Green Line ratio of aerial portions of the line to total length of the line, let's call this the Mole's Index of Rapidity [MIR in acronimic form].
For the Green Line the ratio is 100/100! Not so with other recently built lines; the Expo and Crenshaw Lines which both have lower indices of Rapidity. Any value less than 1 shows that determinate travel times are impossible. The overall MIR for the LACMTA's built portion in miles is 20/105 which is equal to 0.1904 ... much less than 1! The result is a fifth class transportation system; one befitting a third-world country.
Your Mole feels that by showing you month-by-month examples of the LACMTA's failures, you will come to see that throwing more money at this dysfunctional organisation is not the path to a transportation solution. It is a direct path to more money wasting by the LACMTA.
he LACMTA seems exceedingly proud of their accomplishments: no doubt it is due to the fact that they never leave their Taj Mahal offices, visit their facilities and see their handiwork as we passengers do! Shown below are three scenes, all photographed during a 10~15 minute period from a Toonerville Trolley
platform.
he LACMTA seems exceedingly proud of their accomplishments: no doubt it is due to the fact that they never leave their Taj Mahal offices, visit their facilities and see their handiwork as we passengers do! Shown below are three scenes, all photographed during a 10~15 minute period from a Toonerville Trolley
platform.
View from the bus stop♪
There are two reasons why bus stops in Los Angeles are so filthy; 1. most passengers cannot extend their arms more than 10 Cm to reach a rubbish bin if their lives depended upon it; and 2. the LACMTA is incapable of supervising those who are paid to clean the bus stops and, as a result, do a fifth-rate job of it.
Incidentally, the man who is partially seen on the right of the photo above, spent the time we waited for a bus placing each shoe in turn, on the the bus bench seat while he polished his shoes.
Second opinion: Many passengers lack a sense of obligation to their fellow riders. this fellow didn't care if granny soiled her dress because of his thoughtlessness!
Views from the platform♪
Here is litter which passengers freely toss into the rail bed.♪
The same rail bed, different rubbish.♪
You can speculate as to, exactly, what this bit might be?♪
Expo Line Bus Stop with NO Rubbish Bin.♪
One needn't wonder why rubbish is ankle deep everywhere.
The push is on to complete projects before the Olympics come to Los Angeles, so that the traveling public an be amazed and delighted by Los Angeles fifth-rate transportation.
The LACMTA would much rather patch it up than build it correctly in the first place.
As an example. in the case of the Orange Line (It's a bus folks!) The plan to begin a seven year program to place crossing-gates at thirty-five intersections where streets cross the bus route.
Presently, the main safety feature is the bus driver. The effect will be to add additional an additional measure of safety while slowing the line.
What they should have done in the first place is build the route as aerial (elevated) rapid transit in the first place.
But these technical matters are decided by the politicians who make up the LACMTA board; they would rather make every possible mistake and then patch it up. This process inevitably yields a fifth-rate "system".
Eye (and Ear) to the Rail
As I listened to a radio broadcast (KNX1070NewsRadio, A Metro PR flack boasted about what a wonderful organization the LACMTA was. She should try being a passenger, I thought. Included in her pitch was "We do everything for you!" or "Everything we do is for you!", or words to that effect. It should have been "We do everything to you!".
That would make sense as, one of the things they have done for us is eliminate the sale of day passes. Which passes allowed a pass, which could be purchased on any bus for $7 to be used from the time of purchase until 03:00 the following morning. Now working passengers must scramble to find a bus pass vending location which will never be as convenient as the first bus which you board! Your contribution? Making a difficult day intolerable!
Providing bus drivers that cannot place their bus parallel to the curb and an easy step away. Your contribution? Placing seniors in danger with a long step down and a hard jolt at the end.
Then there is the LACMTA's assertion that We are making transfers smoother. If you don't count that an out-of-service fare box will prevent you from adding funds to your TAP Card; should you hav funds on your Tap Card, an out-of-service fare box will prevent you from making the transfer and the Muni (Not LACMTA) bus to which you transfer will take their full fare from you card; they will do this silently. If you don't have an amount that will cover their full fare, I'm quite sure that they will invite you to try the pavement.
They offer you neither a Tap Card statement nor an audit report. Monetary losses? Too bad.
This system has all the indications of being designed and programmed by very junior staff, without sufficient experience to cover system failures!
Before broadcasting the hype the PR department should consider the reality of the LACMTA'S ridership. The LACMTA the intellectual capacity to proper analyze transportation and formulate a proper response. The proper response is not the we ar great and we operate the best transportation in the galaxy. This is their version of the "Big Lie" propaganda technique!
This Mole has lived and worked in NYC, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Canada, Chicago etc., etc. He has seen lots of best of transportation alternatives but never in Los Angeles. The transportation in Los Angeles is made by politicians and others who wouldn't recognise a transportation professional if one deliver a judo throw to them. Worse than that they run a organization who feels it an honor to be called a cheap #$%^& *( @#))&! Whilst they run an understaffed intellectually deficient organisation focused on maximising bonuses.
As I listened to a radio broadcast (KNX1070NewsRadio, A Metro PR flack boasted about what a wonderful organization the LACMTA was. She should try being a passenger, I thought. Included in her pitch was "We do everything for you!" or "Everything we do is for you!", or words to that effect. It should have been "We do everything to you!".
That would make sense as, one of the things they have done for us is eliminate the sale of day passes. Which passes allowed a pass, which could be purchased on any bus for $7 to be used from the time of purchase until 03:00 the following morning. Now working passengers must scramble to find a bus pass vending location which will never be as convenient as the first bus which you board! Your contribution? Making a difficult day intolerable!
Providing bus drivers that cannot place their bus parallel to the curb and an easy step away. Your contribution? Placing seniors in danger with a long step down and a hard jolt at the end.
Then there is the LACMTA's assertion that We are making transfers smoother. If you don't count that an out-of-service fare box will prevent you from adding funds to your TAP Card; should you hav funds on your Tap Card, an out-of-service fare box will prevent you from making the transfer and the Muni (Not LACMTA) bus to which you transfer will take their full fare from you card; they will do this silently. If you don't have an amount that will cover their full fare, I'm quite sure that they will invite you to try the pavement.
They offer you neither a Tap Card statement nor an audit report. Monetary losses? Too bad.
This system has all the indications of being designed and programmed by very junior staff, without sufficient experience to cover system failures!
Before broadcasting the hype the PR department should consider the reality of the LACMTA'S ridership. The LACMTA the intellectual capacity to proper analyze transportation and formulate a proper response. The proper response is not the we ar great and we operate the best transportation in the galaxy. This is their version of the "Big Lie" propaganda technique!
This Mole has lived and worked in NYC, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Canada, Chicago etc., etc. He has seen lots of best of transportation alternatives but never in Los Angeles. The transportation in Los Angeles is made by politicians and others who wouldn't recognise a transportation professional if one deliver a judo throw to them. Worse than that they run a organization who feels it an honor to be called a cheap #$%^& *( @#))&! Whilst they run an understaffed intellectually deficient organisation focused on maximising bonuses.
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 reach LAX!
OR
Metro is the worst way from the City Center to the LAX Airport!
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, LAWA or CHSRA 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.
FINAL WARNING: N.B. LACMTA, LAWA OR CHSRA staff and management, avoid cognitive dissonance, DO NOT CLICK on THE LINK BELOW!
While the LACMTA attempts to hype its Toonerville Trolley system and CHSRA ponders the necessity of safety features, forward thinking planners in 2007 have already bullet trains at speeds in excess of those planned for California.
This section has been devoted to pointing that the LACMTA is far behind the rest of the world in rapid transit. La Taupe has pointed out that fact on innumerable occasions. Their approach, rather than providing Los Angeles with a transportation legacy of which to be proud, prides themselves on building cheap, loo-less infrastructure.
CHSRA struggles with its' "Bullet Train" technology of the past, while the rest of the world is building high-speed comfortable Mag-Lev trains or other fast variations.
Cosmology
I asked Google to answer the question: "How many neutrinos pass through your body?" Here was the answer:
"Each second there are about 100 billion ghostly solar neutrinos passing through the tip of your finger, and every other square centimeter of your body, whether you are indoors or outdoors, or whether it is day or night, and without your body noticing them, or them noticing your body"
Now, "Thank you to sciencedaily.com" we can learn more about the mass of Neutrinos.
Fare Box OOS and related Lists of Shame
I.D. Numbers of buses with Out of Service Fare Boxes:
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 = (+URsticker 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
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:
LINE/OP ID XXXXX(L/T) date; XXXX-XX-XX(code);
LINE/OP ID XXXXX(L/T) date; XXXX-XX-XX(code);
Codes: S = not wearing seat belts; J = bad judgment (unsafe driving practices).
111/84559(L/T) 2017-09-08(J)
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)
DTLA = DownTown Los Angeles
DTLA = DownTown Los Angeles
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.
LDOT = Los Angeles Department of Transportation
LDOT = Los Angeles Department of Transportation
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 occurs 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 organisation 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 organisations having transactions with any of the entities about which I have written.
There are no exceptions.
Date: 2009-06-24 s/LametroMole
Works Cited
Brown, Nicole. “Cyclist deaths in NYC:
A month-by-month breakdown”. amny.com. Sept 24, 2019. Web. https://www.amny.com/transit/cyclist-killed-nyc-1.33644652
Cook, Lauren. “Is the subway Wi-Fi hackable?
What to know and tips on staying secure”. Amny.com. Sep. 5, 2019. Web.
https://www.amny.com/transit/subway-wifi-security-tips-1.35933449
Lazare, Lewis. “Chicago Transit Authority
expands Wi-Fi to key rail Stations”. Chicago Business Journal. May 8, 2019.
Web.
https://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2019/05/08/chicago-transit-authority-expands-wi-fi.html
Munguia, Hayley. “Long Beach-L.A. express
shuttle will keep running, even after the Blue Line reopens”. daily.news.com.
Sept 24, 2019. Web. https://www.dailynews.com/tag/transportation/
Wisniewski, Mary. “CTA launches ‘baby on
board’ button campaign for pregnant riders”. Web. https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/transportation/ct-biz-cta-button-campaign-pregnant-passengers-20190909-2cm5h4p7mfcs5hhtplljgxkoay-story.html
Please use the links found in “Works Cited”, above and read the complete cited articles which were written by the cited hard working reporters! Your Mole can only provide a "Fair Use" introduction to the articles.
An artifact of the streets of Los Angeles, created by a brother Mole!
### .. . ###
.
.
The above is ### 30 ### in Braille
Footnotes
Furtum a taxpayers, puniendo viatorum.
_-_A_Centennial_of_Independence_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg){kind=link}
