From: ostubble@agsm.ucla.edu (Otha Stubblefield III)
Subject: Re: I hate "Rapid" Transit District (RTD)
Keywords: slugbut
Distribution: ca
Date: 6 Jan 93 12:58:03 PST

johnwu@netcom.com (John M. Wu) writes:

>In article <uh4t3co@sgi.sgi.com> jeremy@classic.asd.sgi.com (Jeremy Higdon) writes:
>>In article <1993Jan5.102755.15262@netcom.com>, johnwu@netcom.com (John M. Wu) writes:
>>> Los Angeles
>>> 
>>> 1 - 1:10 by bus, <0:35 by car - WAY TOO SLOW.  A bus can't beat a
>>> car but let's be reasonable.  I don't want to spend double the
>>> time to get to where I want to go.

>My solution:

>Assuming LA had no rail and had carpool lanes in all freeways, RTD should have
>lines that travel through streets for 20 minutes and then go to downtown LA 
>for people like me who live 25+ miles away from downtown.  I am going on
>the premise that mass transit should give residents a method to go to
>far areas like Diamond Bar or Canoga Park.

They've tried, but no one will ride the buses, and it cost money to run a
bus.



>>> 3 - Monthly Base Card (no express) = $52.  Express 1 = $66. 
>>> Express 2 = $80.  I am a student but not while I'm in L.A.
>>> High prices stems from the politics between Foothill and RTD.
>>
>>RTD also has a very high farebox recovery ratio.

Your prices are inflated by $10.  A base card is $42 and each express stamp
is $14.

>It was cheaper when RTD had an agreement with Foothill.  Wasn't Foothill
>supposed to save the SG Valley from RTD?

What was cheaper?  RTD fares did not change?  I understand that Foothill's
are "up there" though, and the service is not much better.

>>> 2)  RTD caters mainly to low income minorities,  the people who

What do you base this statement on?

>>> 3)  RTD bus coverage in low income areas is good to excellent
>>> while wealthier areas get poor coverage.   This is an extenstion
>>> of #2.  Of course, a large source of our traffic congestion comes
>>> from areas with poor coverage.

What are your facts here?  I've ridden in the "low income areas", and I
have not seen any differences in the coverage.  What "low income" area
have you frequented?

>But they influenced the right people enough to build the El Monte busway.
>Freeway 57 in OC has a carpool lane when it didn't before. 
>>

Did they?  Do you have documentation on RTDs role in the creation of the 
El Monte busway

>>> 5)  Have limited stop versions of popular lines or have new
>>> express lines shadow them.  Line 2 is a noteworthy slug from UCLA
>>> to downtown.  Line 484 from Ontario Airport to Downtown LA is
>>> another.  I don't want to spend three hours to go from SG valley
>>> to Santa Monica beaches when a car can do it in one.
>>
>>The Wilshire lines have limited stop versions.  They go very
>>close to UCLA.  Also, try Santa Monica 10 from downtown LA.
>>It runs on I-10 to Santa Monica.

>>> 8) A friend who decided to attend Spring Semester at college
>>> after staying out Fall Semester got their RTD College Application
>>> denied because "This is a Fall Base Card from Sept. to March. 
>>> You will have to wait until after March to apply."  Sorry, but
>>> Spring semester starts in January for some schools.
>>> 
>>> 8.5) A student taxpayer in LA county applied for an RTD college
>>> pass to go to CSU Fullerton (in Orange County) on line 490 and
>>> got denied because CSUF is not in LA county.  Well, FYI, RTD line
>>> 490 goes right next to CSUF.
>>> 
>>> Both students plan to write nasty letters to RTD.  The policy
>>> maker for this should be fired!  
>>
>>RTD lines that run in Orange County are contracted for by OCTD.

>That's not an excuse for Mr. Policy Maker.  Foothill Transit 
>is the only bus line that runs by many SG high schools.  But RTD
>doesn't deny them.  Why does the school need to be in LA county?
>I, as a UCB student, do not plan to abuse RTD during my winter break.
> 

The point that YOU MISSED is that Orange County has their own bus line
that they are subsidizing.  They are not giving a dime to RTD, or the other
LA county bus lines, unless there is an agreement to do so when they
cross county boundaries (i.e. OCTD buses at Los Cerritos Mall).   I know
that RTD has a contractual agreement with OCTD that includes a surcharge
to riders crossing into Orange County (i.e. the 460 to Disneyland, or
the 120 to La Habra/Brea Mall).  That surcharge goes to OCTD coffers.
Also, does Foothill Transit honor RTD bus passes?  Does OCTD?  If OCTD
does not, a person would have to buy an RTD pass and an OCTD pass.

>>
>>> 9) Hire more RTD transit police.  I've yet to see one in action
>>> on my occasional bus trips over the years.  I've seen knives and
>>> guns drawn before.  Also cuts down on rampant fare cheating.
>>
>>Most of your complaints are best directed at the political arena.


>Politicans are influenced by the public.  The public is influenced by
>RTD's media campaign and image.  SF Bay Area would be mad if politicians
>decided cut 50% funding to Muni, BART, AC Transit, etc.  LA doesn't care
>because mass transit sucks and there isn't a sign of change.

>RTD needs more transit policepersons as well as a complete cleanup
>job of their fleet with a good media campaign instead of coverage
>of Blue Line accidents.

RTD is trying to keep fares down.  Do you have a funding source for 
additional officers?  Will that funding source also be able to handle
the manpower and supplies needed to keep 2800 buses clean.  I have seen
buses "tagged" while they were waiting for lights to change.  Is there
enough money and manpower to keep up with that?  Maybe if they start offering
rewards....



>RTD scores very low when compared to what I've ridden in the US and abroad.
>It's the dirtiest.  It's the most dangerous.  Coverage varies wildly by
>economic levels of each area.  RTD did nothing in the 1970's and LACTC did
>nothing in the 1980's do improve mass transit for all.  

>-- 
>John M. Wu                "And if a double decker bus, crashes into us
>johnwu@netcom.com          to die by your side, is such a heavenly way to die"
>jmw@ocf.berkeley.edu         - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
>#include <flameprotect.h>

If you do not like it, don't ride it....PLEASE
Newsgroups: la.general