Los Angeles MTA just keeps missing
Thursday, March 12th, 2009This week I got a large post card in the mail from the Los Angeles Metro. It was exciting — at first.
The card says, “Out all night? So are we.”
It then shows me 4 bus routes that are somewhat in my area. 2 of the 4 are about a 2-mile walk, but the other 2 are just a few blocks. So far, this looks great. The Metro folks have done and outreach that gives me info that enables me to take public transit instead of driving.
Here’s what the card doesn’t say:
- where are the actual bus stops? They show 3 main north-south roads but these are several miles apart, so what about all the people who live in between them? Are there local stops at 1am, 3am, 5am?
- how far apart is each bus? Will I be waiting 30 minutes for a bus, or 10?
- what times does the bus hit some particular street? If I get to a main corner at 1am will I be waiting until 1:20, 1:40… or did I just miss the bus?
If points 2 and 3 seem stupid to you, then you must be from NYC or another city where the MTA is actually intelligent and/or considerate. LA is not one of those places. I’ve been waiting 20 years for some sign of this consideration. See, there are no route/time maps at bus stops in Los Angeles. When you arrive at a stop you have no clue whether the bus is running at that time, when it will come, or how it will travel.
And one more thing…
would it have been hard for the MTA to list the pricing so we could actually know it and have exact change?
would it have been hard for the MTA to list the pricing so we could actually know it and have exact change?
But it does send you to metro.net for more info. That’s good…
except that it’s a frustrating site, that info moves around a lot, and that they had room on the post card to provide this info.
except that it’s a frustrating site, that info moves around a lot, and that they had room on the post card to provide this info.
Once again, I am saddened to say, the Los Angeles MTA people just don’t “get” what people need.
Coming from a public transport city, and having used public transport in London, Paris, Oporto, Sidney, Tokyo, Beijing, and many, many places tiny and large in between, I remain frustrated by public transport in Los Angeles.