MTA approves sweeping cuts to bus service

The Board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted Thursday to make sweeping cuts to bus service as part of the largest overhaul of the system in more than a decade.

Plans call for nine routes to be eliminated in June and 11 scaled back. The cuts will equal a 12% reduction in overall bus service over recent years. The cuts will increase the number of passengers on individual buses.

Protesters outside Metro offices and inside the boardroom Thursday decried the cuts as an assault on those with low incomes and said people of color will be disproportionately affected by the reduction in services.

Some have criticized Metro in recent years for embarking on an ambitious plan to expand its rail service without putting forth larger efforts for its bus service.

But Metro officials and other government leaders have consistently defended the expansion of rail service.

The reductions come five years after a federal judge ended a decadelong consent decree that gave a court-appointed special master oversight of how the agency managed its bus service.

Metro officials say that during that period bus service increased and fares were reduced, but that they had to offer an artificially high level of service that can no longer be afforded.

Metro Chief Executive Art Leahy said there were “astonishingly low” ridership levels on buses headed into downtown each morning and that the system operated at 42% capacity.

Officials say the reductions are aimed at cutting costs and making the system more efficient, and Leahy said there are also plans to enhance service on more than 12 lines.

The cuts will drop Metro’s peak fleet to about 1,900 buses, or 400 fewer than it operated during the height of the decree.

In an interesting twist, the Federal Transit Administration recently announced it would review whether Metro had discriminated against minority and low-income transit riders, a move partly motivated by complaints from the Bus Riders Union, a local civil rights group.

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MTA proposes cuts to bus service

-- Ari Bloomekatz and Sam Allen

Photo: Metropolitan Transit Authority bus operator Cathy Jones inspects her vehicle before starting a route in 2000. Credit: Kim D. Johnson / Associated Press

Comments

[BeyondTheMargin.net]

This is a sign of how politicized everything is in California. Ridership is low and the MTA wants to trim underutilized routes, but people protest because the three people that rode that bus might have to take an alternate one or wait a little longer.

In Orange County (I realize, different agency), the busses often roll by completely empty. It would probably be more cost effective just to let the handful of customers using the bus get complimentary taxi's.

I strongly support mass transit and LA's mass transit system is certainly lacking compared to other large cities (SF, Chicago, NY, DC, etc.), but we also have to make rational decisions that contribute to the long term viability of the LA-MTA and benefit the greatest number of people.

[ross]

This is what you get when you insist for years that there be no new taxes. Stingy man pays the most.

[ROSJAN]

This is what you get (or don't get) when you insist year after year that there be no new taxes.

[dean hardwick]

as a bus riding non-driver since 1969, I can tell you that bus service is already at an all-time low. Any decrease will discourage current riders even more. build all the rails you want; I still have to get to them.

[Kathleen]

"Give me, give me, give me"...... the never-ending cry of those who expect the quickly diminishing middle class to pay for every and any entitlement known to man, living here legally or illegally.

The cash cow (taxpayers) are gone and those that remain are weary of paying for entitlement programs and services that do nothing more than ensure elections or reelections of corrupt politicians who are solely responsible for the demise of their city/state.

[Joe]

The incompetence is mind-boggling. Wait until Obamacare goes full speed. If Congress can force us to buy health insurance the LA City Council will be able to force us to buy bus passes even when we dont ride the bus. Liberals are deranged!

[Eric Roth]

The gap between MTA's mandate and actual policies continues to grow. May I suggest a simple way for the MTA to raise vital funds to keep these bus services? Why don't they sell off their luxurious, marble headquarters with 30 foot ceilings? How much did that obscenely opulent building cost? Why did they prioritize that building over their bus riders?

Corruption comes in many forms. When so-called public servants consistently put their own self-interest over their responsibilities to mere citizens, we are entitled to ask questions and express deep disappointment. In a better, more democratic society, these "public officials" would also lose their elevated positions and be replaced by reformers. Of course, Los Angeles barely even has elections and the Mayor will run virtually unopposed like in some third world banana republic.

And so it goes in Los Angeles as the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer and we drift into an uglier, less decent, and harsher future.

[F. Wright]

It appears MTA officials are bias toward train transit verses the slower, monotonous bus lines. Yet I'm certain the buses carrier more passengers on a daily basis than trains. It is a fact that the poor depends more on the bus than the train because of the cost. Here again the poor in this city and across the country are denied equal access. The rail system should augment the buses but we should not reduce services when it is the only affordable means of transportation for so many. Of course, the minorities are always at the epicenter of decreased goods and services. I wonder how many Republicans were in on the decision making process.

[Jose Perez]

The Federal Goverment is over 14 Trillion Dollars in debt. Our Fellow Democratics and Republican fight over 12-100 Billion dollars they want to remove. Funny, ITs over One point two Trillion dollars they will over spent in this years billion budget alone. In the Obamacare legistlation found over 100 billion dollars that was nevered informed to its Citizens. Over 1000 Companies are exempt from paying into OBamaCare. MTA has wasted Millions of dollars on their pay to Supervisor wages. With Fuel prices over 4 dollars a gallon why are you now cutting back routes?

[Mary]

You know there was a time many years ago when I did ride the bus. It was not convenient then and I saved, bought a car, got insurance and drove.

Sorry to all of those who are crying about the cuts, but such is life. And no I wasn't making much more than min wage way back in those days. Life is not fair, and don't blame the MTA and the taxpayers if they don't want to subsidize your bus rides

[Manfredo Grellert]

Another decision intended to break the social fabric of this nation. When are we ever going to get politicians that think of society and the way it should be???

[Reality Chick]

Increase light rails and decrease ways to get to their boarding locations. Bright idea METRO and city officials.

[Fred]

Joe,
What? incomprehensible logic

[James Andrews]

Public transit should have to charge enough to pay the operating costs. Taking money from one family through taxes to subsidize transportation for others is just wrong.

[Milan Moravec]

Sustained employability in California does not come from organization loyalty. As businesses, universities, states, counties, cities worldwide stumble through the recession some find themselves in a phase of creative disassembly. Hundreds of thousands of jobs are shed. World class University of California Berkeley Chancellor Birgeneau ($500,000 salary) and his $7.2 million outside consultants is firing employees via his “Operational Excellence (OE)”: 2,000 axed by end 2011. Yet many cling to an old assumption: the implied, unwritten management-employee contract.

Management promised work, upward progress for employees fitting in, employees accepted lower wages, performing in prescribed ways, sticking around. Longevity was good employer-employee relations; turnover a dysfunction. None of these assumptions apply in the 21 century economy. Businesses, universities, public institutions can no longer guarantee careers, even if they want to. Managements paralyzed themselves with a strategy of “success brings successes” rather than “successes brings failure’ and are now forced to break implied contract with employees – a contract nurtured by management that future can be controlled.

Jettisoned employees are discovering that hard won knowledge earned while loyal is no longer desired in employment markets. What contract can employers, employees make with each other?

The central idea is simple, powerful: job is a shared partnership.
• Employers, employees face financial conditions together; longevity of partnership depends on how well customers, constituencies needs are met.
• Neither management nor employee has future obligation to the other.
• Organizations train people.
• Employees create security they really need – skills, knowledge that creates employability in 21st century economies
• The management-employee loyalty partnership can be dissolved without either party considering the other a traitor.

Turn the light on for sustained employability in the 21st century economy

[E]

More cuts means more money to the politician. They don't care about budgets, they only care about how much more money they can pocket.

They recently voted for a new superintendent for LAUSD and he got a $80K raise from the previous person who held this title. And, I thought CA was in dire need of money.

[RB]

I'm all for mass transit, but lines have to earn their keep. If a line is inefficient, it has to go.

[rusoviet]

Put a train down the Harbor Freeway (I-110) and see how many use it - a lot more than take those buses that have those cozy windy noise fulled shelters to huddle in.

[Joe Gallaagher]

Rail service brings white people in from neighboring cities; they come into town, make their money, pay no Los Angeles property taxes and then go spend their money out of town - so Los Angeles also gets no sales tax. This also increases urban sprawl. Our city needs more neighborhood shuttle buses - and fewer trains that serve non-Angelinos 75 miles away ie. Riverside.

[IvanG]

If bus riders had not been successful in demanding raises for MTA employees, of if inessential services had been cut sooner, these cuts would not have to be so drastic.

[Al Pryor]

Instead of complaining and finger-pointing, please offer a solution. All this wasted verbiage when this space could afford ideas, practical and not, would be a better use of the readers' time.

I'm disabled, without a working car, and have no family or close friends to take me to doctors and hospitals for the various medical tests my conditions require.

Currently, at least three of the proposed lines to be either eliminated or have their service hours reduced, will have a profound effect on my ability to get around. My car needs repairs costing more than I can set aside in a month or two so I will be taking the bus probably for the next six months and all I see here is squabbling over costs that have little or no relevance to the budgeting of the Metro.

Please, SOMEONE offer a rational alternative for the thousands who will be left to walk; except me, of course. I have breathing issues that keep me from "going the distance" you many naysayers out there seem to think the "three, or so" few who may ride a bus line can just do without.

[Kent Burke]

It seems to me it is time for the Times to step up editorially and get to the bottom of the obvious discriminatory nature of every cut in bus service that has taken place in the past few years. Ever since the expiration of the Consent Decree, service in South and East L.A. and Boyle Heights has been systematically decimated. Practically every improvement made during the duration of the Decree is now or will soon be history. Taxes or not, public transportation is supposed to benefit the PUBLIC. And most especially the segment of the public most dependent on Metro services.

Oh and while they are at it, the Times should look into the history of current Metro CEO Art Leahy's career in public transportation. Some glaring inequities will come to light. Major fixes are needed, AND FAST!

[Latonya]

The MTA should be finding more ways to make riding the bus appealing to those who don't ride them which would increase their ridership. Overcrowded buses, long commute times, slow and late buses, lack of service, and security problems are some of the reasons why people do not ride the bus. I work in an area outside of the greater Los Angeles area that has very limited bus service. It would be nice to be able to get the workers from north Los Angeles and from the South Bay areas to our workplace by bus. Right now it would take hours for them to get to work, even those who only live about 12 miles from the building.

I am a veteran to public transportation, I've been riding buses, trains, etc. since the 1970's. Not much has changed to encourage ridership. Most people who ride do so because they have no other option.

[elsa]

maybe ridership would be higher if you could transfer lines. this goes for the subway, too. it's ridiculous to pay 1.50 to ride one way, one line. oh and maybe if they came on time, that would help. it takes me 50 minutes to take the bus a 12-15 minute leisurely drive.

also, why am I the only person who actually pays the fare in my neighborhood? is there some sort of unspoken agreement between the driver and the riders to "stick it to the man" together? time to move to san francisco.