The Transit Advocate
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Yearly Dues for SO.CA.TA: cates. In all other cases, permission must be Individual Members: $30.00 (Print or PDF) secured from the copyright holder. THE TRANSIT ADVOCATE Low Income: $18.00 (Print Newsletter) Disclaimer: The Southern California Transit Low Income: $12.00 (PDF Newsletter) Advocates is not affiliated with any governmental Newsletter of the Southern California Transit Advocates Dues are prorated on a quarterly basis. agency or transportation provider. Names and February 2014 Vol. 22, No. 2 Submission of materials: ALL materials for the logos of agencies appear for information and TRANSIT ADVOCATE newsletter go to Andrew reference purposes only. Novak at P.O. Box 2383, Downey California 90242 SO.CA.TA officers, 2014 or to [email protected]. Please enclose a self President: Nate Zablen addressed stamped envelope for returns. News- Vice President: Ken Ruben letter deadlines are at 6:00 PM Pacific Time on the Secretary: Dana Gabbard first Friday of the month unless otherwise an- Treasurer: (Vacant) nounced. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Newsletter Editor: Andrew Novak Opinions: Unless clearly marked as "Editorial" or Newsletter Prod. Mgr: Dana Gabbard "Position Paper", all written material within, Webmaster: Charles Hobbs including all inserted flyers and postcards, are the Archivist: Edmund Buckley expressed opinions of the authors and not necessarily that of the SO.CA.TA. Next SO.CA.TA Gathering: Copyright: © 2014 Southern California Transit Feb. 15th, 1:00 PM at Angelus Plaza, 4th Floor, 255 S. Advocates. Permission is freely granted to repro- Hill, Los Angeles duce/reprint ORIGINAL articles from the Transit Advocate, provided credit is given to both the au- February 2014 — Issue 255 thor and the Southern California Transit Advo- Southern California Transit Advocates 3010 Wilshire #362 Los Angeles, CA 90010 46¢ First 213.388.2364 Class http://www.socata.net Postage [email protected] FIRST CLASS MAIL Inside This Issue: RTA Gillig 31357 in Riverside at Moreno Valley • College on February 1, 2014. Bulletin Board (pg. 2) • Members in Action (pg. 2) —Joshua Thurman Photo • Transit Updates (pg. 3) • Transit Topics (pg. 5) • Public/Legislative Affairs (pg. 6) • Neil Bjornsen (pg. 7) ISSN 1525-2892 • Thanksgiving Plans... (pg. 9) • Photos of the month (pg. 11) Bulletin Board / Members in Action Photos of the Month Bulletin Board: assist this effort are welcome. As always Saturday February 15th we will hold an elec- suggestions for club activities (study tours, tion for the vacant Treasurer position. There transit facility visits) and assisting in making will also be a discussion of the Metro fare them happen is much appreciated. Contact restructuring concepts and a review of the the Secretary:[email protected] or member questionnaires. This will be held at 213.388.2364. Foothill Transit Orion Angelus Plaza, 255 South Hill Street in Members in Action: F1314 is westbound downtown Los Angeles beginning at 1:00 J.K. Drummond visited the new permanent on Bonita Avenue in PM. San Dimas on June Transportation exhibit at the Banning Man- January 11th we undertook a trip to explore sion Museum in Wilmington. He also had the 15, 2013. bus and rail services for San Bernardino and lead letter to the editor in the Daily Breeze environs (very pedestrian unfriendly!), vis- on January 30th. The letter discussed the —Andrew Novak ited the San Bernardino History Museum at recent seating restrictions in place at Union Photo the historic Santa Fe Depot plus had lunch Station. at Molly's, a 50s style café. Participants in- Andrew Novak was on hand in Pomona dur- cluded Dana Gabbard, Dave Snowden, ing the early morning hours on January 26th Perias Pillay, Mark Strickert and two non- as the Union Pacific (UP) “Big Boy” was members who learned of the event via the brought out of the Los Angeles County Fair- LA Streetsblog announcement -- Orion and ground and onto the Metrolink San Bernar- Steve. dino line. The Big Boy, numbered 4014, is January 25th Dana Gabbard and Nate Zablen one of the largest steam locomotives ever worked on comments to be presented at the built an UP purchased the 4014 from the February 8th public hearing to be held at the Rail Giants Museum in Pomona with plans to Metro headquarters on the service return her to operating condition. The 4014 changes for Metro bus service proposed for lived at the Fairgrounds for 51 years! YY implementation in June 2014. We will re- quest a block of time and have copies on RTC Wright Street hand of the comments to submit formally Car 058 enters the along with sharing them with reporters, in- Bonneville Transit terested members of the audience, etc. The Center in Las Vegas, hearing starts at 9:00 AM. Nevada on June 22, The newsletter editor has decided to discon- 2013. tinue the Members in Action column. The installment this month will be the final one. —Andrew Novak Photo Our website has been updated to include the revised bylaws and issues of the newsletter through May 2010. It is still under develop- UP 4014 only hours away from leaving Pomona on January 25, 2014. ment and webmaster Charles Hobbs hopes -Andrew Novak Photo to add new features shortly. Volunteers to Page 2 The TRANSIT Advocate www.socata.net Page 11 Thanksgiving Plans got derailed Continued Transit Updates But all in all, I am thankful, once again, that Big Blue Bus minutes from 7:00 AM to 9:15 AM and on our train stayed on the ground and did not Effective January 8th passengers on Route 3 Sunday it will operate every 30 minutes overturn; I’m also very thankful to our car and Rapid 3 now have to request a special from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. attendants David and Steve who were very Metro TAP card transfer when transferring to Rapid 3: There is a new early morning trip professional and supportive throughout the the Green Line at Aviation Station. The spe- departing the Green Line Station at 5:55 entire ordeal. They alone deserve a five-star cial transfers are good for one on Metro Rail AM. The last trip from the Green Line at rating of customer service and for helping so and cannot be reloaded or reused. Passen- 7:05 PM and the 7:50 PM trip from Santa many passengers, in all respects. gers will have to request the transfer from Monica will be cancelled due to low rider- the driver at time of purchase. Even though a train derailment – as well as ship. Amtrak’s mismanagement – leaves bad Effective February 9th Big Blue Bus will make Route 4: Most trips will be adjusted by 12 memories and takes away desire to travel several service changes. Below is a sum- minutes either earlier or late. by train for a while, I still prefer rail travel, mary of those changes. as opposed to flying or driving. I also have Route 5: Buses will continue to detour on Route 1: Saturday trips at 9:18 PM and 9:48 faith in our rail system, hoping that one day Broadway due to Expo Line construction on PM and the Sunday trips at 6:55 PM, 7:25 we will all witness dramatic improvement – Colorado Avenue. PM, and 7:55 PM from Venice Circle to Santa not only in its infrastructure and fleet, but Monica will be canceled due to low ridership. Rapid 7: Extra westbound service will begin more importantly – in new safety features, at Crenshaw Boulevard instead of Fairfax in track maintenance, and launching Positive Route 2: The 10:50 PM westbound trip from the morning. Service adjustments will also Train Control. It’s time to embrace the 21st UCLA will be cancelled all week due to low be made to reduce overcrowding in the early century! And I have faith that – with the ridership. Weekday service from Santa afternoon. hard work of advocacy groups – our won- Monica to UCLA will now operate every 20 derful country will finally invest in our rail minutes form 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Route 9: Northbound service in the morning infrastructure, giving people a reliable, safe, will also be improved to reduce overcrowd- Route 3: Several major schedule changes and great way to travel! ing. Early afternoon adjustments will be YY will be made to the service 7 days a week. made to better serve Palisades Charter Two new early morning trips will depart the (Editor’s note: The 8.5 hour delay in getting School and midday service will now operate Aviation Green Line Station seven days a buses to the derailment is not entirely Am- every 30 minutes. trak’s fault. Charter bus company’s do not week. On weekdays the service from the have drivers on stand by like transit agen- Green Line will operate every 11 to 15 min- Route 11: This line will be discontinued. utes. The Sunday morning trip from the cies. Drivers need to be rested and equip- Route 14: Northbound evening trips that Green Line at 6:08 AM will now depart at ment available. Even for the biggest charter end at Wilshire and Yale will now end at 6:00 AM. Weekday service from Santa companies getting vehicles on short notice Bundy and Wilshire. could delay responses by several hours. If Monica will now operate every 15 minutes Amtrak does not regularly use buses in this from 7:00 PM to 9:15 PM. Service from Bus stops have also been removed on the region, like Thruway Connections, they UCLA to Santa Monica will now operate following routes. Contact Big Blue Bus for might have to find local bus companies.) every 30 minutes from 7:00 PM to 9:15 PM.