Marina del Rey's last bus

Marina del Rey appears to have been successful in saving the only MTA bus line into the community, according to the Argonaut:

A month after it was reported to be on a Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro or MTA) list of cutbacks in bus service, Line 108 to Marina del Rey has been saved. Earlier this year, officials at the transit agency named the 108, which is the only bus line that serves Marina del Rey, as one of several routes that would face cutbacks in service this summer. Line 108 runs from Paramount to Marina del Rey. "Service to Marina del Rey will continue," Dana Coffey, Metro's sector general manager for the South Bay confirmed. "After listening to our customers, whether they came in the form of e-mails, phone calls or letters, we will continue to provide bus service to our customers in Marina del Rey." Eighteen service cuts were originally proposed, and Line 108 was one of only five that were withdrawn. Metro's board of directors rescinded the service cut March 21st.

Comments

[Dan W.]

The question is really what would provide the best bus service for the Marina and the Del Reys. A Lincoln LRT has been discussed as a future projects, but that's going to fall in line after many other projects.

I am wondering if a whole-are transfer of the Marina and Playa Del Rey services to the Culver City Bus line wouldn't get the Marina and the Del Reys better and more reliable service.

But you are right to state that vigilance is important, because it has been marked.

The 108 west of Fox Hills is an example of the MTA providing a lousy, unreliable service and then stating there is no demand for more. Imagine if the Marina had reliable, regular service! Sometimes you need to create supply in order to stimulate the demand.

[Sheryl]

Don't anybody kid yourselves. The 108 service is now PERMANENTLY on the hit list of not just the Metro Board, but very specifically the infamous "Transfer it to Another Transit Agency" South Bay Sector Governance Council. If it's not a potential Rapid Line headed downtown, the South Bay Council is just not interested in it--or anybody who uses the service.

Everyone who went to meetings, wrote letters, made phone calls, etc. is going to have to start checking up EVERY SINGLE MONTH on the agendas for the South Bay Sector Council meetings, and be prepared to show up at every meeting where service is going to be discussed. Miss a meeting, and you'll find your service cancelled in December, rather than June.

I for one would bet that Ms. Coffey and "Staff" are trying even now to figure out how to transfer the 108 line to Beach Cities Transit like they already HAVE the portions of the 439 and 215 routes south of the Green Line, and proposing the transfer of the east-west arterial service of the 124-El Segundo, 125-Rosecrans and 130-Artesia lines to BCT over the next 6-18 months. (It would just be a coincidence that BCT is run by the Person who chairs the South Bay Sector Council, don't you think?)

Just BE WARNED.

If you rely on a Metro bus to get you ANYPLACE south of Slauson or West of Crenshaw, YOU HAVE TO WATCH THE SECTOR COUNCIL AGENDAS, and be prepared to go to the meetings (which are just so CONVENIENTLY held at 9:30 in the morning on the Second Friday of every month) to make loud and pointed complaints; otherwise, your service will be gone and you won't have even been warned.

One last tip: It helps open their ears if you call them "stupid" and accuse them of racism. It won't necessarily STOP them cancelling your service, mind you, but they'll at least stop snoring in your face.

[Dan W.]

Good news about the Marina, a place where real transit-oriented development and living is possible.

As for providing service, the Del Rey neighborhoods might get better and more frequent bus service between the beach and Fox Hills Mall or or the West LA Transit Center from bus service provided by the Culver City Bus and the Big Blue Bus, instead of the tack-on, rare, sometimes sketchy Line 108 service by the MTA. However, that proposal wasn't on offer. All that was on offer was a cancellation.

If a lousy service is offered and there is not great demand, that isn't always a reason to discontinue the service. Sometimes the service needs to be improved and the demand will increase.

Kudos to the neighbors and activists who lobbied the MTA and their elected officials who saved the 108.

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Although the Marina is not incorporated into Los Angeles, a Marina neighborhood council could work with the Del Rey neighborhood council and others to create a transportation plan that involves something more reliable than the tack-on 108 bus service.