cash fares would pay express charges TRANSIT UPDA TES (about 1/2 of the regular fare) The price of a senior pass would rise from $8 to $10 - College students (but not K-12 students Effective June 16, Santa Monica Big Blue or senior/disabled) would also pay express Bus will combine the existing Lines #4 and charges when using a pass. The passes #15 into a new line #4. This line will would cost $53 (Zone 3) and $64 (Zone 5). connect the existing two routes via San - Transfers would be valid on any Foothill Vicente Blvd. in Brentwood, providing route, even the same one or one going in service from Downtown Santa Monica, the opposite direction. through Brentwood, the VA Hospital and Sawtelle. We hope to prepare a position on the proposal. Culver City has moved the northern terminal of its #6 (Sepulveda Blvd) to Santa Clarita Transit also has a fare serve the Ackerman bus stop on the UCLA increase, effective Jun 30: campus, Instead of the Hilgard/Strathmore terminal used by MTA and Santa Monica. - Local cash fare will be $1.00 ($.50 (According to member Ken Ruben, there senior/ disabled), with passes at $25 and have been noise-related issues related to $15 respectively. Regular and student fare the Hilgard/Strathmore bus turnaround at will be the same on the local routes UCLA). - Fares to the San Fernando Valley will be $3.50, or $1.75 for students/seniors/ Foothill Transit is holding meetings this disabled. Passes will cost $120/$60 month to gather input on a proposed fare - Fares to Downtown Los Angeles,West Los restructuring (see calendar for locations, Angeles or Lancaster/Palmdale will be dates and times): $4.00 ($2.00 for students/senlors/ - Regular fare would increase from $.90 to disabled). Passes for these Iil)es will cost $1.10 $140/$70. - Express Zone 3 routes (i.e. the busway between EI Monte and Downtown) would Member Juan Cornejo sent us a clipping cost $2.75 (currently $2.25) from the Whittier Daily News that - Express Zone 4 (#493 and #495) would Whittier Transit fixed route service may be become Express Zone 5 routes, see below eliminated due to tightening budgets. An - Express ZoneS (#498, #499 and #699) idea the city is exploring to reduce costs would cost $3.35 (currently $2.75) would be negotiating with Montebello or - Instead of a monthly pass, a 31-day pass Norwalk Transit for them to modify some (similar to Omnitrans) would be offered~ of their existing lines to serve the current Whittier Transit users .• I- Seniors and disabled passengers paying Mark Panitz's letter to the editor "Bus MEMBERS IN ACTION Advocate Responds to Complaints" appeared in the May 10 Santa Monica Rail Advocates of Orange County was Mirror. In impressive fashion Panitz profiled in the OC Weekly May 24 article point by point rebutted comments critical "Train in Vein - Jane Reifer lives for mass of Big Blue Bus made in the May 3 transit". It can be viewed at letter column by Rufus baker. It can be http://www.ocweekly.com/ink/02/38/ viewed at http://www.smmirror.com/ news-pignataro.php vOlume3/issue4 7/letters_to_the.asp •
Page 2 THE TRANSIT ADVOCATE June 2002 BULLETIN BOARD be free that day, there will be entertainment, giveaways, artist and vendor booths, plus a kids play area. We A survey has been included with this are exploring the possibility of having a issue of the Transit Advocate. Please booth at the event. complete It and return it to the June 8 meeting, or mail it to SO.CA.TA, 3010 Friday July 12 The Pacific Railroad Society Wilshire #362, Los Angeles 90010. An will have MTA CEO Roger Snoble online version is also available at as a guest speaker to discuss MTA's http://socata.lerctr.org/survey .html plans. PRS is encouraging all with an Your answers may determine the future interest in transportation to attend. This of SO.CA.TA. Thanks for participating. will be held in the Joslyn Center (Alhambra Room) in Alhambra, 210 N. Captain Kenneth Garner, Commanding Chapel Ave beginning at 7:30 p.m. Officer of L.A.P.D. Transit Bus Division, will be the speaker at our June 8 meeting Beach trains will again run this summer beginning at 2: 15 p.m. After his between Rialto and Oceanside. For remarks there will be a question and further information on ticket prices, dates answer period. We will also have a of service, stop locations, etc. call (909) brief discussion of whether to support the 787-7938. statewide High Speed Rail system proposal and whether to endorse the PCL The California Futures Network e• transportation initiative on the newsletter Land Use Lines in its May November ballot. edition includes the address for a useful resource: a database compiled by Our comments on the proposal for MTA the California League of Cities of website line 125 were submitted via e-mail and addresses for nearly every city forwarded to the Project Manager where in the state: they will be considered along with http://www .cacities. org/ cities_online/citie all other public comments. The text of s_online. asp ?intParentID= 3 SO.CA.TA's comments can be read on the front page of our website. As always, The Transit Advocate needs Thursday, June 13, 7:00 p.m. the next articles, letters, Transit Tips, photographs general meeting of Friends 4 Expo and research from all members and Transit will be held at Hamilton High interested non-members. All materials School (main building), 2955 S. should be sent to 3010 Wilshire #362, Robertson Blvd. in West Los Angeles. Los Angeles, CA 90010. (or e-mailed to Topics include a funding update and transit@lerami. lerctr.org). Material for discussion of livable communities. publication should be received two weeks before the scheduledSO.CA.TA meeting .• Saturday June 22 from Noon to 8 p.m. Santa Monica will hold a downtown street fair to celebrate the completion of its transit mall. Big Blue Bus service will
June 2002 . http://socata'.lerctF:-Org Page 3 meeting).
May 31 the Select Senate Committee on MTA held a dog & pony show at the San Fernando City Hall on the sector plan. About the only real news to come out of the event is Senator Alarcon has again amended SB 18, this time to state if the valley secedes that the Mayor of the new city would take over one of the L.A. seats on the MTA Board.
interesting legislation of the month: AB May 30 I stumbled across a Bus Riders 2189 (Koretz) would require public Union event being held in the transit contractors to retain for 60 days afternoon at the intersection of employees of the previous contractor. WilshirefVermont. 10 or so yellow shirts Currently It is before the Senate Labor and were handing out flyers promoting their Industrial Relations Committee. "Civil Rights Watch" I mentioned last month. EVidently this is part of a The "People/Briefly" column in the May count-down to June 30 when the final Metro Investment Report notes L.A. load standard of the consent decree (no Mayor James Hahn has appointed Wayne more than 8 standees) becomes active. Tanda as General Manager of the L.A. he BRU is soliciting data from riders, Department of Transportation. Tanda handing our forms that only have space for formerly was the City of San Jose's negative information (overcrowding/late). Director of Transportation. Under the circumstances won't the information be tainted by the bias of the Was amused to learn MTA still subsidizes instructions? . Avalon ferry fares for commuters (page 2,. item #31, MAy 23 MTA Board Giving credit where it is due, Bart Reed of meeting). A report I read years ago on The Transit Coalition tipped Rick Orlov of improving transportation on Catalina the Daily News to an item Orlov used in his explained why this is done: MTA can May 27 column that "the Bus Riders Union report the route miles of the ferry as part is circulating a proposal to have its of the regional transportation network for members go on record calling for the U.S. purposes of formula federal subsidies. to end its support of Israel for its actions involving Palestinians. It Some BRU Did you know on May 9 $28.1 million was members disagree with this stance. I'd bet released by the Governor for the Exposition some of the contributors to Eric Mann's Line? This assures planning will proceed bulging coffers feel the same way. while the funding issues are settled, perhaps for the entire project. Think the Patsaouras Transit Plaza is cramped? If MTA goes forward with its Well, sanity finally reigned in the close 3-2 development plans for the Wilshire/ PUC vote on Gold line grade crOSSings. Vermont Red Line station site the bus plaza Most impressive is the spin doctoring the will be moved to a currently unused 1 acre Mt. Washington Association has undertaken parcel east of Shatto fronting Wilshire. in claiming this defeat of their anti-Gold OUCH! Just the thought of the turn radius Line campaign as a victory: makes me wince. Has anyone in MTA http://www .mtwashington.org/projects/ Operations seen this? (item #26, May 16 blue-line/final. htm MTA Planning and Programming Committee Page 4 THE TRANSIT.ADVOCATE June 2002 I am attempting to obtain a recent report (perhaps at manufacturers' expense via on core rideshare services provided by legal action). Oh, what staff did the Southern California Association of recommend for the replacement coaches Governments. EVidently it explains why was piggybacking on an RTA contract the various County Transportation option with North American Bus Commissions are about to take over Industries for delivery in December. rideshare support services SCAG had been handling. The May-June issue of California Rail News has several articles on the In the minutes of the May 29 AVTA Board proposed statewide high speed rail meeting Chairman Carter asks why network critical of Central Valley track staff doesn't recommend purchasing placement, the use of Diablo Pass and Gilligs to replace three 1991 Gilligs cost estimates for a Grapevine crossing. slated for replacement in Fiscal Year Hard to tell if these will have an impact 2003. Dave Mristik, Contract Compliance among opinion leaders. manager, replies the new Gillig low floors AVTA currently has spent about 40% of I'll conclude this month with an addenda the time in the shop and are having many to last month's column by noting problems with oil consumption. In further the quote of Shawn Ryan came from a Board discussion of tHe Gillig situation April 12 L.A. Weekly article by Brendan one option contemplated was retrofitting Bernhard "Behind The Shield" .• the Gilligs with 50 series engines
June 2002 http://socata .Ierctr.org Page 5 California as well. It is the only way to alleviate the growing pressure of medium• and short-distance trips on our fine state's infrastructure. -David Davenport
I believe that HSR should be very strongly To facilitate discussion of whether supported on principle. Qualms about SO.CA. TA should take a position on the particulars on financing, vehicle technology proposed statewide High Speed Raif and routing should be carefully noted and network we solicited comments from a very strong emphasis should be put on members. Members wishing to submit having technical questions intensively statements (please limit to 150 words) evaluated by the best technical expertise-• for publication in a future newsletter can and not in the political arena. But the submit them to the Executive Secretary. primacy of a major high-speed ground transportation system connecting the state A high-speed rail system connecting the north to south has to be established with major urban centers of California is an the voters. essential part of the future of transportation and sustainable What routing should it have between d~velopment. High-speed rail is a viable Bakersfield and L.A.? Central Valley and and convenient alternative to air and Bay Area? private auto travel. It requires less land than airports and roadways, The Grapevine segment is a vexing one. reduces air and water pollution, and Believe the state and the transportation promotes healthier lifestyles. system would be best served by a route taking the most direct route to Bakersfield The ideal high-speed rail system for the (i.e. the Grapevine) and not detouring Golden State links San Diego, the through the Antelope Valley. Should Inland Empire, the Central Valley, address the Antelope Valley (and perhaps Sacramento, and San Francisco. While it is the Inland Empire as well) with aggressive essential that the system be developed upgrades in commuter rail, reminding promptly and appropriately, it should not those constituencies that that service be a replacement for other modes of format is likely to be more responsive to alternative transit. Commuter rail, light the finer-grain needs of development-• rail, and bus rapid transit are all an without overwhelming communities. important part of California's infrastructure, and their development Strongly advocate for going up the east should be coordinated with high-speed rail. side of the Great Central Valley, reinforcing existing concentrations of It is very impcrrtant that the State development. government understand the need for high-speed rail. The system must be (I don't have that keen a feel as to all of embraced by the Federal government, the issues involved in the approaches to local jurisdictions, and the residents of the Bay Area and Sacramento. Maybe Page 6 THE TRANSIT ADVOCATE June 2002 leave that to those advocate groups?) of the yard), I am sure it will draw a good crowd if it connects from the last Should we instead concentrate on northbound Surfliner to Santa Barbara. upgrading existing intercity rail services? This is no time to lay back. A larger voter Emphatically: We need to do both. turnout could help make good things Existing commuter rail is vital and needs happen for transportation. No project or to be grown. It will be an essential feeder initiative is going to be 100% perfect, but to the HSR hub at Union Station. It will getting something is better than saying probably be thevital response to the "no" and leaving things broken as is. Inland Empire and the Palmdale -- Steve Crosmer, SO.CA.TA co-founder communities. The LOSSAN corridor is going to need both the commuter rail and I strongly support the proposed statewide the Amtrak service formats to hig h speed rail (SHSR) network and urge complement a HSR link. SCTA to join with other groups in behalf of SHSR - to improve society for us/our But build the link to the Bay Area first, children. Rationale: because there is no truly viable link now Save time. Though flight times LA-to-No. and the needs of the Central Valley to be CA are fast, total time used must be connected right are pressing. After the considered: We should include traffic Bay Area link, then Sacramento, then San home- or office-to distant airport, Diego, then the Inland Empire. parking, baggage clearance, loading/ -- Jeff Carpenter u,nloading planes (typically through only one door), etc. And we all have been I encourage So.Ca.T.A. members to stalled for hours by Tule fog. We certainly support California high-speed rail. If new shouldn't drive. rail lines will get some of the trains their own right-of-ways, that would be the best Reduce pollution. Today we have way to do it. As freight traffic has picked sickening fumes from planes delayed on up, and from some of my recent travels ground with engines running while waiting on commuter and Amtrak routes along for take-off clearance or landing gate Union Pacific, on time reliability has availability, or circling while fog or clouds become a problem. clear, plus the auto exhausts while slowed /from distant airport. Also, I feel that building a right-of-way for passenger only use is desperately needed Grow CA economy. East access from between Bakersfield and Los Angeles, not SO.CA to Sacramento, San Jose and San over Union Pacific's twisting, winding Francisco, plus to. expanding central valley route over the Tehachapis. I think one cities, will help speed up the States' Surfliner branch route extension that economy. might be worth trying would be to run a couple of trains between Santa Clarita A rapid N-S railroad will help us all. It is and San Diego. Even if Metrolink could run worth the investment for CA's future. a Sunday night train to Lancaster from --Frank Forbath Los Angeles (or even Glendale straight out June 2002 http://socata./erctr.orgo • Page 7 buses are clearly marked "Anaheim Resort Transit", but, in fact, there are two types of buses in the system, and one is not· marked at all. Some of the new buses are electric- and propane-powered. Fares are $2 for an all day adult (over age 9) pass, and there seems to be no transfer policy to aCTA or MTA buses. Maps and passes TAOC Newsletter are available at hotels, Disneyland (but (866) 4-S0CATA, ext. 4 or where?), the Anaheim Convention Center, [email protected] and the Anaheim Tourist Information Center (not the Anaheim Visitors Center!), OVER 1 BILLION SERVED and not on board. Headways are every 10 aCTA officials recently celebrated their minutes peak hour, every half-hour billionth bus rider at the Fullerton otherwise. There are no printed schedules, Transportation Center. As Martha and when a phone operator was asked, Izaguirre of Anaheim stepped off a 43 "How can we know when our bus will be bus, she was presented with prizes of a by" she answered, ''That's a good year's worth of free groceries, passes to question!" Disneyland, and a lifetime aCTA bus pass. Other riders on the same bus won LEISURE WORLD BUS RESTRUCTURING monthly bus passes, and all bus riders Leisure World bus service underwent a won recognition for the contribution to major restructuring this month. Many aCTA's rapid growth. riders are upset at the new changes. The routes are now known by letter and color NEW ANAHEIM RESORT TRANSIT SERVICE rather than number. Bus benches in Interesting new service; lots of nice new residential areas are lettered to help buses and bus stop signs all over the residents understand where their bus will Anaheim Resort, but its very hard to get pick up. There are three types of fixed information. There is nothing on their route buses: residential, commercial and website, and nothing on the signs but the market. Residential routes take patrons to route letter and stop number. We had to and from their homes; market buses take beg one of their Coach USA drivers for a residents to destinations like system map. There are eight routes, supermarkets, churches/ temples, City none of which go to the Anaheim Stadium Hall and the Community Center; and train station, the MTA 460 bus stop, or the commercial buses take patrons to Airport Bus Terminal. It seems like an shopping, medical and dental facilities. improved level of service could have been There are two main transfer points: provided with fewer routes. East Shuttle Clubhouse 1 and Gate 12 West. At Gate Area, the driveway next to the main stop 12 West, port-a-potties, shelters and for Disneyland, is used by all the routes benches have been installed for patrons. but not named on any of the maps. Also, it's very hard to know from the cover of K-MART PLAZA BUS RIDER SURVEY the brochure that it is about their new bus aCTA will be conducting a survey of bus system. The brochure indicates that all riders at K-mart Plaza to get their input, a
Page 8 THE TRANSIT ADVOCATE June 2002 piece of the puzzle currently missing in planned in 10 minute increments, a major the sticky situation caused by local improvement. Also, some routes with residents complaining about too many detours are designated with "0" (although noisy buses in their neighborhood. you need to call a phone operator or go to the Rider's Alert section of the website to DAY PASS SWIPING find out what the detour actually is). OCTA's new fareboxes have caused monthly pass holders to have to swipe NORTH ORANGE COUNlY CITIES PUSH their passes instead of the old "flash and FOR CENTERUNE go" system. On July 1, Day Pass holders A meeting was held May 28 with the cities will also have to swipe, further of Brea, Fullerton, La Habra, lengthening the boarding process. July 1 Yorba Linda and Placentia planning to re• will also be the day that monthly passes ignite the effort to have Centerline switch over to the "30 day" pass rather extend to north Orange County. They will than "calendar month" passes. also be looking at other ways to improve bus and rail transit, much like the West JUNE BUS BOOK Orange County cities project. The June bus book continues the recent tradition of having errors that could easily IRVINE GROUP FILES TO PUT ANTI• have been caught prior to publication, and CENTERUNE INITIATIVE ON BALLOT in fact, were. We will be investigating the Although voters in the City of Irvine are reasons why corrections submitted to scheduled to vote yes or no on aCTA are not used. Centerline after the environmental impact studies are complete, an anti-Centerline group is filing an initiative to have Irvine NEW aCTA TRIP PLANNER ONUNE voters reject Centerline as soon as Ready or not, the "Your Trip" itinerary February 2003. planner is now on the OCTA website. ITranstar will still be available for regional METROUNK GRAND OPENINGS:"91 UNE" and intermodal trips, but "Your Trip" is SERVICE AND LAGUNA NIGUEl/ MISSION plugged into OCTA's own Hastus schedule VIEJO STATION database with the hope of having fewer Rail Advocates of OC had successful errors. Our experience shows that there public outreach efforts promoting ARE fewer strange routings, some doozies Centerline at these two events. OCTA still occur. An extremely annoying feature Director Art Brown was kind enough to is a compulsory, time-consuming mention us at Fullerton, and County verification of every single origin or Supervisor Tom Wilson acknowledged us destination (slow even on DSL). To at the Laguna Niguel event. OCTA's credit, they are warning people to expect this verification. On the bright side, there do seem to be fewer errors than with Transtar, and trips can be
June 2002 http:// socataJerQr.cQrg Page 9 • Express service between Riverside and RIVERSIDE Montclair Plaza (hello, #496?) TRANSIT • Express service between Temecula and Escondido (connections to San Diego ;j;~-' County transit systems) ~.,,·~.~~iAGENCYf.-.'~" c~~ • Express service between Sun City, Perris, Moreno Valley and Riverside • An additional local fixed route in Hemet The Riverside Transit Agency has • A local fixed route running between presented its latest Short Range Transit Corona and EI Cerrito (south of Corona) Plan (SRTP). Planned are a number of A couple of routes will be modified: proposed service changes, to be made • #37 (Hemet-Sun City-Temecula) will be effective March 2003 (or earlier if modified to run on only a part of the route equipment and drivers can be secured). (most likely between Sun City and Temecula). But headways will be shorter. A Bus Rapid Transit system (similar to • #39 (service to the mountain MTA's Rapid Bus) is being considered for communities of Idyllwild, Anza, etc) will be the Magnolia Ave corridor in Riverside. This cancelled, and replaced with community• is currently served by RTA's busiest route, operated services of some sort. the #1. In addition, two new lines, jointly Peak hour service will be improved on the supported by RTA and OCTA, will connect following routes (some of RTA's busiest) Riverside and Orange Counties: • #15 (Arlington Av) • #793 will serve the Irvine Business • #16 (Riverside-Moreno Valley) Complex (near MacArthur) • #29 (Riverside-Rubidoux-Jurupa) • #794 will serve Hutton Center and South • #49 (Riverside-Mission BI-Rubidoux) Coast Plaza. • #100 (Riverside-San Bernardino Express) #793/794 will use the toll lanes and other New services include HOV facilities as much as possible. • Express (Regional Flyer) service between Temecula, Murrietta, Lake Elsinore and It is very likely that RTA will approve this Corona SRTP at its June 27 board meeting.
Page 10 THE TRA?f'3N ADVOCATE June 2002