2016-08-31
VOTE NO ON ANY LACMTA / METRO PROPOSITIONS that ask for money!
Vae Viator78
Please vote NO! ¡vota NO! on LACMTA/Metro Measure/Proposition M in November, remember M is for MALO and MALO means BAD!
At
this juncture, the ballot measure is designated Measure
or Proposition
M.
Su Topo will provide you with an easy "mnemonic"
[many, many thanks to Dictionary.com for the pronunciation!
Dictionary.com is your Mole's "go-to dictionary and thesaurus"
on his laptop and cell phone!] so that you can easily remember the
ballot Measure
or Proposition
M
—they
are
asking for an ETERNAL, never
ending, money
grab! They
haven’t earned it and they certainly don’t deserve it!
America's Worst LACMTA Transportation: Risible, NOT Rapid!♪
Punishment?♪
The LACMTA/Metro doesn't deserve the funding which our tax dollars now provide and definitely do NOT deserve any additional funding from us; until such time as they begin to deliver the service which we deserve; including but not limited to:
Building restroom facilities where they are needed. They know the locations!
If the drivers have restrooms the ridership needs them as well;
Providing security at the LAXCBC and along bus routes especially at 96th ST and Airport BL; The LACMTA devotes lots of money to "security", which is likely NOT cost effective, but almost nothing is spend on REAL system security. Providing an “app” or a telephone number is not providing security.
Training bus drivers that can DRIVE, which will be partly evidenced by positioning their buses at a bus stop equidistant and an EASY step to/from the curb. Many drivers lack a sense of professionalism and not all drivers are able to pull up to a bus stop properly; near the flag and close to the curb for the full length of the bus. It is probably just a case of the 98% giving the rest a bad name. Also, eliminating those drivers who break then accelerate and repeat, viz. rough and jerky driving —nothing focuses attention like a few firing for lack of aptitude.
Providing a pleasant on-board ambiance; no LOUD audio emanating from Metro vehicle's on-board audio systems or the riders riders personal audio devices. NOT employing drivers who think they are there to provide entertainment —Silence is Golden!
Disallow boarding of passengers with unpleasant body odors, dragging trash bags stuffed with recyclables, drunk and/or unruly etc., etc.
Importantly, adding the bus drivers number to the scrolling sign inside the bus, so that riders can report those drivers who are rude, crude and have poor driving skills. Obviously, the LACMTA is unable to make those determinations. This would be an important addition to the scroll as the ridership WILL identify the rude and incompetent whereas the LACMTA is incapable of doing so.
Many if most bus drivers DO NOT secure wheelchair passengers. In the event of an accident, these heavy vehicles could bounce around the bus and injure passengers. But like many items, safety to passengers is extremely low on the
LACMTA's priority list —if they even have such a list.
The LACMTA badly needs to foster a culture of openness and transparency! Providing quarterly and annual reports for each significant project, reporting which reflects project status in terms of ahead of or behind plan and a budget metric showing dollars over/under budget would allow the public to evaluate their competency.
La Taupe has commented a number of times on changing the drop off point ofMetro buses at LAXCBC so as to minimise the distance one has to travel when transferring from a Metro bus to another Metro bus. It would be a simple change. No matter how simple or easy, the LACMTA will do —I believe— only what a court order demands.
Please review these prior posts on a more efficient arrangement of the LAXCBC on: 2013-03; 2014-12; and 2015-10.
Su Topo as heard from seniors on the unfair and disproportionate Muni transfer price increase forced on them. It turns out to be a 250% increase from ten to twenty five cents. The fair thing to do would be to roll it back to 10 cents for a period equal to the period that it was at 25 cents, then raise it to 15 cents. ¿Cómo esta abuelita?
Riding LACMTA services is generally not that pleasant to begin with and is only made more unpleasant by experiencing the above "punishments".
Part of FlyAway's expanded fleet♪
(By the way, what is LAWA doing in transportation anyway??)
(By the way, what is LAWA doing in transportation anyway??)
FlyAway, aided by the LACMTA, Picks the Taxpayer's pockets♪
This is a topic which su Topo has often touched upon but to which he will devote still more space. Especially since the LACMTA and seems disinclined to defend its territory .i.e., charter MD Transportation. The aid provided by the LACMTA takes the form of its lack of a will to resist and an eagerness to eliminate any of its bus lines which might compete for even an infinitesimal fraction of the business.
Not only do the big buses not giveth the small ones take away too! FlyAway, in reality, LAWA —a city agency continues to provide transportation to LAX from a number of origins. The LACMTA has no single-seat bus service to LAX. When it cancelled the 439 Line it severed Metro connections between Union Station, the West Side Transportation Center, Culver City Transportation Center and Aviation Station. This left the the field open to LAWA who could charge something greater than four (4) times Metro's full fare.
At the time FlyAway came into being Metro pass holders were allowed to ride to LAX on their passes. The LACMTA was greasing the skids that early on! I made the ride and it was comfortable and faster than the 439 Line. Had they continued to allow us to ride on our passes, very likely I would have considered it a benefit that Metro was providing me and not be writing this today.
However as time passed the pass privileges on Dash, DOT Commuter Lines were also eliminated, joined the cancelled FlyAway privileges and, how shall I say, went extinct? Along with many single-seat buses which forced us to take multiple Metro Buses/Trains to get where we needed to go. And don't forget, we once had Metro transfers available to us.
All those things are gone! While the base fares have gone up making the ridership shoulder the burden of paying MORE for LESS!
What does the LACMTA have to say? Except for their usual policy of telling us how great transportation is in Los Angeles —nothing, a complete stonewall.
LACMTA, need money? How about standing up for your charter, the limits of which seem to be defined in your title “The Los Ageles County Transportation Authority”. You should be running Flyaway, charge the tourists $10 each way to the airport, let pass holders ride on their passes and spend the profits on running a reconstituted 439 Line which can connect Union Station, the Westside Transportation Center, the Culver City transportation Center, the LAXCBC and Aviation Station. That way the hodgepodge that the LACMTA has cobbled together would start to appear as if it were an actual system!
Oh, by the way, Los Angeles area papers, this could well be a Pulitzer Prize winning story for an enterprising reporter or team of reporters. Remember the King-Drew story that won for the Los Angeles Times team? This is much, much bigger: waste; abuse ; breach of fiduciary; abdication of responsibility; lots of wasted money on things that didn't pan out (think TransiTV) and possibly fraud.
Over the years the Office of the CEO has been occupied by Snoble who spent fist-fulls of dollars on stickers for each bus stop; which stickers were almost obsolete on the day they were affixed or certainly within six months of that date. Then there was Leahy whose principle mantra was something along the lines of I was a bus driver. Now we have Mr. Washington whose prior city boasts a mass transit NOT RAPID transit link to its airport —he will be right at home in Los Angeles.
The LACMTA should have head-hunted in New Your City or Chicago for the kind of leadership the country's second city's county's transportation agency should have. The very though of that kind of non-docile CEO likely makes politicians dream of retirement.
La Taupe dreams of the deconstruction of the the LACMTA and reconstituting it with NON-political supervision. It would have a CEO for the LACMTA and a vice president for for the vehicular infrastructure [freeways etc.] and another vice-president for Rapid Transit. Bifurcation would allow each group to better serve its constituency. Although these constituencies overlap to some extent but, —for the most part, they divide along income/class lines. The premise of transit would be: we already have Mass Transit Buses, subways and the Green Line which are Rapid Transit but ALL future monies would be spent on replacing the candidate bus lines with Rapid Transit Lines and rapidising to the largest extent possible those existing Toonerville Trolleys —NOT building more of them! With all the supporting departments, including Industrial Engineers to correct many of the currently existing deficiencies. Not the least is building Rapid Transit where it is needed.
Billions wasted on a poorly or UN-designed transportation system but nada on badly needed public restrooms in the subway stations, rail stations and bus centers. How about it LACMTA? Let's have four or five years of improvements in creature comforts for the passengers, before you ask for more of our tax monies?
When politicians involve themselves in technical matters, expect failures.
The photograph below documents the situation at the Maxella AV and Lincoln BL stop on the BBB number 3 Line. It is the sort of “work” one would expect from the LACMTA. They taped or caused to be taped shut the aperture in the plastic pipes associated with power poles. These pipes continue to be used as improvised trash cans. BBB N.B. The stop still needs a trash can!
BBB Maxella Trash Fix???♪
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?
n y 
The man pictured above could ensure that trash containers are installed along BBB routes with a simple three-line memorandum.
White Line Incursion Series
Su Topo uses video to highlight the problem of scofflaw drivers endangering Metro bus passengers yet, no authority seems to want to take ownership of the problem. The issue is not unique to the particular site documented by your Mole, but is illustrative of a general problem. Your Mole encourages you to report similar problems to the appropriate agencies in your area(s) and hope that you will have better luck than he. In the youtube.com videos linked below one can see exactly what happens when the policing agencies fail to enforce traffic laws.
The video(s) linked below document the important fact that a never- ending stream of vehicles fail to use the lane as required by law.
Neither are the policing agencies active when it comes to protecting us by bringing these obvious and frequent traffic law violations to an immediate halt. The LACMTA is derelict as well, in that they fail to use the near hourly proof of the violations captured by the on board cameras, mentioned here, and discussed at length in the posting of 2012-05-31.
2016-08-31
Please carefully watch this video and you'll see a two rental car shuttles, one from HERTZ and another from Dollar Rent-a-car, cutoff a 111 bus. The Dollar driver was especially aggressive and cutoff the bus after the bus was in motion!
These incursions happen multiple times per day so it is only a matter of time before an accident occurs.
Airport auto rental shuttle drivers and others, if shown in the above videos, are all Class-B operators and should know better; but often they don't care and neither does the LACMTA and any of the policing agencies which have jurisdiction in the area.
Please carefully note that in some videos, pedestrians are pinned to the curb by the vehicles that cut in front of the bus —as a result these pedestrians are illegally denied the right-of-way. Which right-of-way would be unchallengeablely theirs IF, and only IF, Mr. Washington would review su Topo’s simple solution (vide infra) and implement it.
In spite of the potential for these violations to occur several times per HOUR, I have never seen a police presence at this location. One would think that with a bus schedule taped to the dashboard one of the several policing agencies would have made some arrests by now. Unless they have "more important" work to do than protecting bus passengers.
La Taupe feels that it is appropriate to dedicate these video(s) to ALL the agencies that should be protecting us. So, they are dedicated to (1): Airport (LAWA) Police, (2) the L.A.P.D., (3) the L. A. County Sheriff’s Department and (4) Mr. Washington who is the current CEO of the LACMTA.
Su Topo has recommended a simple solution to the problem. That is, have the 111 Line buses pull up to pedestrian crosswalk, stop there stop and discharge passengers. Doing so eliminates the space in front of the bus which the always-in-a-hurry scofflaws use to cut in front of the bus. But, with the LACMTA nothing is simple. Although the solution could be implemented with nothing more than a memo to the 111/311 Line drivers, it is a task for which the LACMTA so far has proved to be inadequate.
Metro's Flag a revés♪
At sea, a vessel in distress will fly its' flag upside down. It is only right that, given the dysfunctional LACMTA, we should fly Metro's flag in that manner.
In this section it is su Topo's intention to call your attention to situations which he has observed that highlight the "LACMTA Way" of doing things.
An homage for her "contribution" to L.A. transportation.
Your Mole would like the former head of LAWA remembered for her "contribution" to Los Angeles area public transportation. She was quicker than her contemporary, the former bus driver and former head of the LACMATA, to implement the lucrative FlyAway service and discouraged all attempts, however feeble, to bring other modes of transportation to LAX.
Too, we should memorialize her attitude vis-à-vis public transportation directly to LAX in following the transportation direct-to-airport access pattern used by many, if not most, world-class airports, to wit, “Anytime you go under the airport, it is fraught with problems, ...” [hardly a get it done attitude!].
The Mole reads the papers and other things, obviating the necessity of your doing so.
The Big Apple knows how to do it!
Another amny.com piece (Barone)A single quote from Mr. Barone’s piece tells the story.“Drawing inspiration from London, Paris and Toronto, a majority of the next fleet of subway cars — 750 out of a total 1,025 cars — will feature open gangways to allow for passengers to move freely from one end of the train to the other.
An amny.com piece (Brown) shows us a nice map of the in-process Second Avenue subway. It has been building while the LACMTA devoted its time and our money to things like the downtown connector, which su Topo refers to as a Band-Aid.
Tokyo pretty much uses the same system except the inter-car areas have a sliding door.
amny.com’s prolific Mr. Vincent Barone is heard from again, about eticketing in New York City. This is an especially interesting piece. After reading Mr. Barone’s article you can find further background material about the manufacturer of the equipment , masabi, here, the system here and a system brochure here That should provide put you with a good background. :-) .
Mr. Barone of amny.com covers a major track cleaning operation in New York City. Something that’s rarely, if ever, done in Los Angeles —it's maintenance, you know, old chap.
The Los Angels Times reports (Nelson) that the LACMTA is short of Toonerville Trolley cars to meed demand on the Expo Line. Here is a quote that establishes that the devil is in the details: "Other riders have complained about smaller issues that Metro expects will be worked out in coming months, including how confusing service delays can be to new riders. Real-time screens sometimes show the wrong station information, or the wrong arrival times."
This has complete correspondence with what su Topo has found to be true over the years —that there is not much, if anything, that the LACMTA does well.
The Time's informs us (Nelson2) that the LACMTA's insistance on building their subway to the veterans Administration hospital under Beverly Hills High School seems to be the route that will be used. A single quote may help you see what the future will bring. 'But school district attorney Jennifer Recine called the ruling a victory for Beverly Hills, noting that the additional Federal Transit Administration and Metro studies “may well be superficial,” opening the door for future litigation.' Now this attorney is a lady who knows the modus operendi of the LACMTA
In her excellent Times piece, Ms Nelson3) tells us more about the LACMTA's forever tax. "
The half-cent tax would double to one cent in 2039 to replace the revenue lost when Measure R, another half-cent sales tax, expires. The one-cent tax would then continue indefinitely." This LACMTA's plans are likely supported by the their argument, "Trust us."
The Times informs us (Vartabedian) that even more money will be needed for the bullet train.
The story is too complex for me to do it justice here without exceeding fair-use. But here is a quote from this detailed article, about how Caltrans will make up the money difference —by scope reductions— because they are only asking for $35 million when they actually need $50 million for a project: “The scope reductions are items that we look at to save money on a project, such as using asphalt versus concrete, taking a look at aesthetics, etc.,” said [a] Caltrans spokesman…. .”
Please read Mr. Vartabedian’s fine piece and learn about even more funds that are needed in order to be able to keep trying to build this thing.
The dud, er, bullet train, just keeps on absorbing cash!
I just hope that the asphalt won’t be used load bearing structures instead of concrete!
Eugène Delacroix (1798-04-26~1863-08-13)
[Adversity gives men all the virtues that prosperity removes.]
Ars longa vita breva
Eugène Delacroix (1798-04-26~1863-08-13) was an excellent painter. Please see his "Liberty Leading the People" here. It was painted during the "Three Glorius Days" (July 27~29, 1830) which lead to the overthrow of Charles X.
To see more of M. Delacroix's work cliquez ici.
Merci beaucoup à www.eugene-delacroix.com/ for allowing us to see this beautiful work of art!
Merci bien à www.grandspeintres.com/ pour le matériel biographique.
Eugène Delacroix (1798-04-26~1863-08-13) was an excellent painter. Please see his "Liberty Leading the People" here. It was painted during the "Three Glorius Days" (July 27~29, 1830) which lead to the overthrow of Charles X.
To see more of M. Delacroix's work cliquez ici.
Merci beaucoup à www.eugene-delacroix.com/ for allowing us to see this beautiful work of art!
Merci bien à www.grandspeintres.com/ pour le matériel biographique.
¿Musica?
Composer Michel Blavet (1700-03-13~1768-10-20). His Concerto a 4 A Minor, can be heard and seen, here.
An encore? Fine, again, other artists have version, which is available here.
An encore? Fine, again, other artists have version, which is available here.
"Thank you!" to www.youtube.com for this beautiful work. We are also grateful to Euterpe Vendicata, who uploaded the video.
Metro Area – Lower your expectations!♪
The Mole rides again, so you don't have to receive a stern lecture from a Metro driver for telling her that the bus headsign was wrong - "Everybody knows where we are going!" (dates are ISO8601 format, times are expressed in the 24 hour system.)
Well, If they want to call it measure M?♪
The graffitists seem to have busy. But they got it right this time! Let's keep the LACMTA's hands out of out pockets. if they want our money they will have to get it the old fashioned way, viz., earn it by providing a good service.
2016-08-01: Your Mole rides the G shuttle from lax to Aviation Station. At which station there was absolutely no security —people freely smoked on the platform and stairways. Riding the Green Line to the Harbour Freeway Station, anyone could note that the elevator's glass enclosure was filthy. As the LACMTA builds more, the more they outpace their maintenance capabilities. So that they perform less and less maintenance and the plant and rolling stock become dirty and in poor shape. Way to go LACMTA!
Broke Down & Out of Service 40 Line bus♪
Broke Down & Out of Service 40 Line bus♪
2016-08-18: For two days now, I've seen out of service 40 line buses. yesterday it was one that wouldn't shift. Today it was engine trouble. As i waited a long time for the replacement bus —there wasn't one, we just had to wait for the next scheduled bus. This experience simply solidifies my understanding of exactly how poorly the LACMTA performs its maintenance "job". In spite of LOTS of money, assertedly spent on maintenance, think of the EXPENSIVE Division 13 base, it seems not to show.
As I waited for a replacement 40 line bus, a 740 rapid bus flew by. Another graffitist had added some language to the usual LACMTA paint, as you can see below.
As I waited for a replacement 40 line bus, a 740 rapid bus flew by. Another graffitist had added some language to the usual LACMTA paint, as you can see below.
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. La Taupe has shown the way to do that —VOTE NO on any LACMTA/Metro propositions. 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 month we'll focus on some obvious problems that are not being addresses. Rather than discussing some of the LACMTA's vast projects, we can review some of their smaller one's, we can call those half-vast projects.
Century BL, where did the bus stop go♪
2016-08-04: La Taupe walked and walked along Century BL passing areas that he recognised as being bus stops in the past, but, nothing, no flags, no signage.
Another view of the same venue from across the street♪
It is obvious that any standard length bus could use this stop today. why aren't they using the stop? Good question. perhaps the LACMTA is so busy providing "excellent transportation" that they have no time for details :-) .
What the need to do now♪
Is to install these devices, shown above is a Silver Line rear door TAP station, on all the buses. that will dramatically speed loading on all buses —especially where wheelchairs are involved.
It is so typical of the LACMTA's "They'll work it out" attitude, this construction has been ongoing for months but they have no staff to ease the ridership's daily trials. The LACMTA is a top-heavy organisation with not much between that, how shall I say, "gravy train level", and the various trades,drivers, mechanics etc., except contractors. Contractors are utilized for essential tasks only, think IT services.
The LACMTA is quick to tell everyone what a great job they are doing, especially during this period of measure R)IPOFF) or measure M)ALO) when they want to put their hand in the taxpayer's pocket, essentially forever.
In case you missed su Topo's position: He says VOTE NO on any measure which will give the LACMTA ANY MONEY WHATSOEVER!
They don't deserve it, they haven't earned it and they have left us with an inadequately managed, uncoordinated patchwork of buses and poorly conceived, poorly designed and badly implemented, Toonerville trollies.
Where they should have given us rapid transit, and once knew how —the Green Line proves it, they fell into the trap of thinking that saving construction funds, by running trains at grade level whenever possible would allow those funds to be spent on other budget items, like ummm, salaries, bonuses, junkets etc.?
Some cities in the united States, exemplified by New York City, take the long view, and build difficult projects like the Second Avenue Subway, the LACMTA hides under their collective desks and shout "Everything is fraught with danger!'.
Lack of Support♪
2016-08-04: As i walked along Century BL looking for bus stop markings, I neared Aviation BL. Pictured above is one of the Crenshaw Line's flyovers. Please click on the photo until you are looking at the maximum size possible, then note the many temporary wooden beams.
This is earthquake country and it would seem a good idea to build the permanent supporting structures just as quickly as possible. Yet this thing has been like this for months with no apparent work being done. Are they ahead of schedule and simply marking time or don't they care about the risk exposure. Your Mole favours the second alternative, because if risk avoidance was an issue they would be building grade separated rail lines, i.e., rapid transit. the way they are building rail provides for the risk of multiple accidents over the life of the system at each point where the different modes come into contact.
They must employ the ostrich defense to avoid thinking about such risks —head in sand.
Why can't LACMTA DRIVERS park?♪
This Mole believes that it is because they don't care! Every driver is trained and must pass a test, they have lots of experiences on the streets of Los Angeles. It is either lack of care or perhaps the LACMTA doesn't foster a climate of professionalism, doesn't reward good work or is too focused on obtaining funds that little time or energy is left for making things better.
Another LACMTA half-vast project♪
Enlarging the photo above, will allow you to see, as su Topo did, that the wires which prevent bird roosting are NOT affixed to all horizontal surfaces. in spite of the fact that people can use the stairway below to access the bus plaza and the Silver Line connection. This is like so much of the "work" done by the LACMTA, it is simply unfathomably bad.
Grasping At Straws?♪
If crossing a Los Angeles street can be nerve-wracking, biking is ten times worse. This Mole can assure you of that and bicyclists are frequently suffer injuries and death. if the LACMTA feel, as they apparently do, that putting more people on bicycles is the solution to Los Angeles traffic and transportation problems, they had better lie down until the feeling goes away. it is really, a grasping at straws, attempt to find a solution.
Do these people and politicians at the LACMTA try these ideas before they put them into play? Perhaps they many try once, but never to the point of doing it daily as a life-style change. Moving around the city with a bicycle in tow is NOT FUN! You will have the care and storage of you bicycle to consider, and additionally, you must face the fact that you may have to miss a bus because the bicycle rack is full when the bus reaches your stop —only two bicycles can be carried on each bus.
Others Solve What Confounds the LACMTA♪
But those others understand the concept of service, they don't simply put a ballot measure together, e.g., Measure Malo, and obtain funds. Organizations like redbox, whose equipment is shown above, know that they have to provide an actual service. They understand that people won't stand in the blazing sun trying to read movie titles, so they developed the sun screen which may be easier to see if you click twice on the photograph.
In comparison, the LACMTA doesn't care about your difficulty reading their Toonerville Trolley's ticketing machine screens. the LACMTA knows that if you use public transportation, you don't have a choice!
Elevator OUT OF SERVICE - Again
Here at Hawthorne-Lennox Station, the elevator is out of service, again. The LACMTA: Maintenance ain’t us!
Latijera & Centinella BusStop!
Like Century BL, we find an unmarked bus stop. The LACMTA’s “They’ll figure it out attitude” is aptly demonstrated here; with no bus stop flag, no information, no signage, no nothing.
132nd ST Bus Stop!
Although there is no construction here, we find an unmarked bus stop.
Mole? Can’t the LACMTA do anything right? Hmmm, appears that they cannot.
One for the Road
2016-08-29: as your Mole waits for his bus to pull out of LAXCBC, he notes two men drinking beer. The one on the right is holding an unseen paper bag which conceals his drink, while his friend, on the left is holding his silver can in his hand; which can is marked with a number lower than 212! Money spent on security is unnecessary to earn income, so it is not spent and therefore there is NO SECURITY at LAXCBC.
2016-08-30: Again at LAXCBC, su Topo sees a resting man lying near the door to the driver's restroom; there is no such a convenience for passengers. No security, No amenities.
So, the LACMTA will tell you how great everything is and expect you to robotically vote for their ballot measure and they'll end up with tons of money to waste as they see fit.
Real transportation organisations build and improve on quality transportation, not move from one band-aided mess to another and then define it as "excellent". Real transportation organisations also MAINTAIN THEIR SYSTEMS, not "run them into the ground".
Su Topo firmly believes that the LACMTA monies are spent on executive salaries, unnecessary frills, equipment purchases, the Toonerville Trolley build out with little for upkeep and maintenance and none for "frills" like improving conditions for its ridership. Everyone should keep in mind the low esteem in which the typical rider is held, that is, until it is time for the LACMTA to inundate her with tales of the wonders created by the LACMTA, in order to obtain that rider's vote for Measure R2, Ripoff2, or or Super Ripoff, as I like to call it.
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.
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 solution. It is a direct path to more money wasting by the LACMTA.
Ear (and Eye) to the Rail
Here is an item for the ear to the rail section. KCRW, our Santa Monica NPR station really know how to do it right. While stations run from Minnesota have a different approach. Two KCRW broadcasts that your Mole enjoys are "To the Point" with Warren Olney and "PRESS PLAY with Madeleine Brand".
While the Minnesota influenced station herds people together to be served the LACMTA and LAWA Kool-Aid and hear the story the way these agencies want it heard. Another annoying feature of the Pasadena station is their interminable appeals for money! Some include stories, e.g., the woman who is a writer but had to recycle someone else's eulogy for her husband; the sons who's mother remembered the station in her will, others are insulting the "comedian" who called those who didn't contribute, "tapeworms". Then their are the "underwriters" they are simply sponsors who pay to have their advertisment broadcast. These things play over and over and over. So much that I never listen to that station any more and have made KCRW my station.
KCRW's PRESS PLAY featured a broadcast on August 9th, 2016 that is entitled "A possible tax hike and the future of LA transit". This broadcast features
the lovely voice of the lovely Ms Laura J. Nelson, whose Los Angeles Times articles are invariably cited on these pages.
In advance, I'd like to thank KCRW and "PRESS PLAY with Madeleine Brand" for allowing us to link to the broadcast. I encourage my readers to visit www.kcrw.com and listen to many of their fine programs online. KCRW also offers podcasts for lots of broadcasts. Which podcasts are downloadable so that you can listen to them at your convenience. Please click this link to hear "A possible tax hike and the future of LA transit".
the lovely voice of the lovely Ms Laura J. Nelson, whose Los Angeles Times articles are invariably cited on these pages.
In advance, I'd like to thank KCRW and "PRESS PLAY with Madeleine Brand" for allowing us to link to the broadcast. I encourage my readers to visit www.kcrw.com and listen to many of their fine programs online. KCRW also offers podcasts for lots of broadcasts. Which podcasts are downloadable so that you can listen to them at your convenience. Please click this link to hear "A possible tax hike and the future of LA transit".
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!
ath
OR
The LACMTA Tries Again; Asymptotically to LAX!
OR
Metro is the worst way from the City Center to theAirport, LAX, that is!
The purpose of this section is to make people aware that the LACMTA is not home to many problem solvers. I hope to accomplish this end by presenting the solutions adopted by other cities, some in foreign countries, in solving the city to airport rapid transportation challenge.
Cautionary Note: Those employed by the LACMTA or LAWA should NOT view
the following video(s). The speed of the train(s), the fact that they neither
share the right of way nor stop at stop lights, because they are truly rapid
transit, will likely make you dizzy, nauseous, confuse and frighten you.
Let's take the train from O R Tambo international Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa to Capetown —the train is Rapid Transit folks! but we'll transfer to a bus for part of the trip. We can start the trip here. The population of Johannesburg is 8,432,000, approximately half of the Los Angeles area's population. but that doesn't stop them from having a real Rapid Transit system which terminates at the airport, not a mile away. As opposed to our Toonerville Trolley system.
Thanks to youtube.com for your great support! and to hasrocitydatcom for the upload!
Cosmology
Another newscientist.com piece describes another possible ending/renewal for our universe —pity, isn't it that none of will see exactly what happens. Please read the article in its entirety here.
Thank you!, newscientist.com for allowing us to read this important material.
France24.com reports (2016-08-16) that a deadly air strike on a MSF [Médecins Sans Frontières] = (Doctors without Borders) hospital killed eleven people. According to France24.com (which is a division of AFP (Agence France Presse))) "..in the fourth attack on one of its facilities in less than a year." According to the report: Eleven were killed and more the nineteen were injured.
These doctors could stay at home in relative safety and earn excellent salaries, yet the place their lives in jeopardy in order to bring comfort to the sick and injured. La Taupe becomes physically moved when thinking about the sacrifices. of these doctors and other medical personnel.
The MSF hospitals are well marked and made know to the belligerents, yet these attacks continue.
Sometimes I ashamed that there is not much that I can do. But I will make a contribution to MSF. if you so desire you can contribute too, just click here for information. The few dollars that you and I give will help, but are not much, when measured against the sacrifice of people who give their lives!
The attackers were Saudi pilots flying American built aircraft.
Fare Box Score Box OOS and related Lists of Shame
I.D. Numbers of buses with Out of Order Fare Boxes: Direction Line, etc., e.g., 125 (2016-05-28@ 10:20); Eastbound
Note: No or few entries above do not necessarily mean all fare boxes are in operation.
I.D.Numbers of Distracted Drivers: xxxxx (i);
None included here, but observations of a minor nature may be included in the main posting;
Codes: (i) Extended conversation(s) with passenger(s) or (ii) cell phone call(s). Frequently, details can be found in the text above, (ii*) cell phone call(s) which are aggravated by some other action, (iii) Self-distracted. Codes (ii*) and (iii) will ALWAYS be explained in the posting.
I.D. Numbers of Buses Defaced by WhoIs stickers: xxxx;
~UR or +UR = (+UR) whois sticker and the ugly residue left after passengers partly remove the sticker. (~UR) = Only the ugly residue left after passengers almost completely remove the sticker. +L = an old (legacy) sticker black letters on a plain white background –these are the original form of the defacement.
* Another reason for displaying the operator's ID on the internal display and the headsign.
ID numbers of Buses whose Head and Tailsigns disagree: Not noted xxxx/xxxx;
Format is Bus number followed by Headsign number/Tailsign number.
ID numbers of Buses without Braille signs: xxxx;
METRO drivers Lack of Basic Technical Skills Report
The format is Driver number F[{Y/-n/+n}] C[{Y/N+/-}]. Meaning of F if Y the driver stopped with the Bus stop “flag pole” somewhere between the bus front door frames. A negative number, e.g., -3 is the approximate distance in metres (think yards dear readers) between the nearest bus door vertical frame member and the flag pole signifying that the bus stopped short of the flag. A positive number, e.g., +3 (metres) is the approximate distance between the nearest bus door vertical frame member and the flag pole signifying that the bus stopped past the flag. The value for C[{Y/N}], “Y” tells us that the driver stopped within an easy step from the curb to the bus, “N” means it was NOT an easy step from the curb to the bus. It is this Mole's belief that an average experienced good driver should be able to control his bus so as to position in near the curb and with the flag pole slightly to the front of the bus.
I.D. numbers of drivers who are unable or unwilling to position their buses parallel to the curb, a short step from the curb and/or equidistant from the vehicles exits. At the present time (2016-05-31) there are too many drivers to name, whose skill at parallel parking is deficient .
XXXXX F[+0] C[Y]; F[+7], C[Y]; xxxxx F[Y], C[Y]; xxxxxF[Y], C[Y]; N.B. distances are in metres, think yards.
13 metres is this is MORE than a 40 foot bus length. nnnnn* = Contract Driver
I.D. numbers of drivers who are almost guaranteed to give you a Rough and Jerky (R& J) ride: xxxxx;
I.D. numbers of drivers who will give you a potentially life-threatening ride: XXXXX(J)date; XXXX-XX-XX(-);
Codes: S = not wearing seat belts; J = bad judgment (unsafe driving practices).
La Taupe's Abréviations
ADADO = Automatic Destination Announcement (on) Door Opening. This feature is installed on many buses and operates on extremely few. Another “money down the toilet” LACMTA investment. La Taupe that this is intended for the visually impaired because people who can see can read the “head signs”.
ASAS = Automatic Stop Announcement System the GPS (Global Positioning System) driven mechanism for generating audio for the upcoming stops. N.B. Because of the low power (read weak) processors used in the on-board stops may be too close to identify stops separately. This is known as a granularity problem. Then too, if the driver operates the bus at speed above the speed limit you will find the system “back announcing” stops which you have already passed. I find that this will NOT keep some drivers from complaining “that you didn’t signal (ring) in time”. They don’t understand their relationship to the system and how, by driving faster than the GPS computer, they can bias it.
BART = Bay Area Rapid Transit – Please note the use of the word “Rapid” because it is a word we almost never hear in Los Angeles.
BBB = Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus
CHSRA = California High-Speed Rail Authority, which is the equivalent, in more
ways than one, of the LACMTA.
CC or CCMBL = Culver City (Municipal) Bus (Lines)
CCTC = Culver City Transportation Center this is the place formerly known as FHMTC = the Fox Hills Mall Transportation Center (Sepulveda& Slauson)
FFE = Full Fare Equivalent (presently $1.75)
GTrans (Gardena transit?) formerly GMBL = Gardena Municipal Bus lines
ITC = Inglewood Transit Center
LAWA = Los Angeles World Airports.
LAXCBC = the LAX City Bus Center.
OCTA = Orange County Transportation Authority.
OOS = Out Of Service.
Rapid Transit = does not compete for right of way, that is, it will not run at grade unless it has EXCLUSIVE DEDICATED USE of the right of way).
R&J = Rough and Jerky [ride].
TT= Torrance Transit.
T1= the normal type of driver/staff.
T2= is the non-stop talker type of driver/staff, on the phone or to passengers,
T3= the uncommunicative type of driver/staff, sometimes surly.
WLATC = the West Los Angeles Transportation Center (Fairfax & Apple)
Su Topo’s Disclaimer and apologia
Your Mole always attempts to write an easy-on-the-eyes page using text input. Blogger.com however, has other ideas and will often not stay with a single font type or point size, produces extraneous spacing and etc. I wish I had time to debug the HTML which they produce, it is NOT the straight text which I pasted into the form, but I don’t. Therefore, I apologize on behalf of Blogger.com for the changes which they make, of which I do not approve. Sometimes, what I see, thankfully you don’t, is 24 point type –it is giant and other times they swallow my text, although it still seems to be there. In fairness to them, things seem better, although this is partly because I do understand which of their “features” do the most damage to me and consequently do not use them. Communicating these problems to them, for me, is something like having teeth extracted without the benefit of anesthetic, actually it is less fun than that. By their design, there is no simple e-mailing them with "Please look at my say, posting of 2009-06-28, it is weird!” I have been submitting feedback and experiences slow but positive progress. Until all issues are resolved, lo siento. [Addenda 2014-07-31]: Things have been much better lately. There is a more responsive feedback system now. [Addenda 2015-08-22]: Recently, even the "Feedback" mechanism has failed to submit problems. [2015-12-31] The feedback section disallows screen shots which show problems with the "final posting", such as, orange sections which cover blocks of text and change the font size. All it would take is allowing and attachment. But, ... [Addenda 2016-03-31] Since Blogger.com forced me to learn HTML 5, I can fix "many" of the problems which apparently were caused by using Word notation in "imported" files. The mystery failure to save problem still 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. “Second Avenue line, W train depicted in new MTA subway map”. amny.com. May 27, 2016. Web. http://www.amny.com/transit/second-avenue-line-w-train-depicted-in-new-mta-subway-map-1.11847457
Barone, Vincent. “New MTA subway trains: Majority will feature open gangways”. amny.com. Jul. 1, 2016. Web. http://www.amny.com/transit/new-mta-subway-trains-majority-will-feature-open-gangways-1.12058792
Barone, Vincent. “London’s digital ticketing technology could influence MTA”. amny.com. Jul. 14, 2016. Web. http://www.amny.com/transit/london-s-digital-ticketing-technology-could-influence-mta-1.12042518
Barone, Vincent. “MTA to tackle subway track trash with ‘Operation Track Sweep’”. amny.com. Aug. 8, 2016. Web.http://www.amny.com/transit/mta-to-tackle-subway-track-trash-with-operation-track-sweep-1.12147965
Nelson, Laura J. " " The Los Angeles Times. Aug. 15, 2016. Web.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-beverly-hills-subway-20160815-snap-story.html
Nelson2, Laura J. " " The Los Angeles Times. Aug. 7, 2016. Web.
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-metro-rail-cars-20160807-snap-story.html
Nelson3, Laura J. " " The Los Angeles Times. Aug. 2, 2016. Web.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-metro-sales-tax-measure-20160802-snap-story.html
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-beverly-hills-subway-20160815-snap-story.html
Nelson2, Laura J. " " The Los Angeles Times. Aug. 7, 2016. Web.
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-metro-rail-cars-20160807-snap-story.html
Nelson3, Laura J. " " The Los Angeles Times. Aug. 2, 2016. Web.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-metro-sales-tax-measure-20160802-snap-story.html
Vatrabedian, Ralph. “ State rail authority will seek a $35-million increase for key project in bullet train plan“ Los Angeles Times. Aug. 8, 2016. Web.
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-bullet-train-cost-20160808-snap-story.html
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-bullet-train-cost-20160808-snap-story.html
An artifact of the streets of Los Angeles, created by a brother Mole!
### .. . ###
The above is ### 30 ### in Braille
# posted by LAMETROmole @ 10:00 
