Sunday, January 28, 2007
About Redundant Bus Transfers
There is another thing with the way in which the MTA operates its bus system that probably leaves many people confounded. It's that on certain routes when you catch a bus and think you're going to the default destination, that bus will in some cases stop short and have you get off the bus to catch a second bus that closes the gap. And this happens for no apparent logical reason. Sometimes the first bus stops short a mere few blocks away from the anticipated destination, and people are forced to transfer, not to a different bus line, but simply to proceed on the same line. Sometimes that last stretch is short enough to to make it seem unnecessary with a second bus transfer, but just long enough just to make it unfeasible to walk for most passengers.
Sometimes this becomes a real hassle, as there are often no indications as to which it will be. There are no hints on the buses that tell whether the bus will go all the way or if it will be the short version. It's been common that the drivers have not alerted passengers prior them entering the bus. This leads to a repeating scenario in which people end up with an unnecessary transfer. Rather than skipping the short-route bus the first time around, they think they're on the right bus, but are then sometimes abruptly told to get off, sometimes mere blocks away from their ending point.
It's hard to figure out why some buses are capable of traveling that extra mile while others aren't. It clearly causes confusion. It really appears to be an arbitrary decision. People with wheelchairs have to get off, elderly have to get off. And sometimes when the bus is crowded and passengers have managed to grab themselves a seat, they will now have to give up those seats and compete for a seat a second time, on the same route.
There are other complications stemming from this. For example sometimes people have already paid their fare, but cannot verify it to the driver of the second bus, and this has sometimes caused disputes. That alone is a stress factor. There are no bus tickets or even receipts given for one-way fares, and the drivers on the transfer buses often cannot distinguish transferees from new passengers. This undeniably leads to distress since many riders are rather poor, and paying double fare makes a difference to them economically, as well as it does when they must argue their righteousness to a driver due to a scenario no fault of their own.
You wonder what the big deal would be to modify the line-number a little bit on those buses that travel the short route, in order to distinguish them from the regular lines. It's quite astonishing that nothing has been done to alert passengers of this in advance. Rather people are being shuffled on and off the buses like cattle, and may end up becoming late, paying a second fare, etc. How about simply making all buses go all the way. Anything would be better than keeping this inane practice in place.
Sometimes this becomes a real hassle, as there are often no indications as to which it will be. There are no hints on the buses that tell whether the bus will go all the way or if it will be the short version. It's been common that the drivers have not alerted passengers prior them entering the bus. This leads to a repeating scenario in which people end up with an unnecessary transfer. Rather than skipping the short-route bus the first time around, they think they're on the right bus, but are then sometimes abruptly told to get off, sometimes mere blocks away from their ending point.
It's hard to figure out why some buses are capable of traveling that extra mile while others aren't. It clearly causes confusion. It really appears to be an arbitrary decision. People with wheelchairs have to get off, elderly have to get off. And sometimes when the bus is crowded and passengers have managed to grab themselves a seat, they will now have to give up those seats and compete for a seat a second time, on the same route.
There are other complications stemming from this. For example sometimes people have already paid their fare, but cannot verify it to the driver of the second bus, and this has sometimes caused disputes. That alone is a stress factor. There are no bus tickets or even receipts given for one-way fares, and the drivers on the transfer buses often cannot distinguish transferees from new passengers. This undeniably leads to distress since many riders are rather poor, and paying double fare makes a difference to them economically, as well as it does when they must argue their righteousness to a driver due to a scenario no fault of their own.
You wonder what the big deal would be to modify the line-number a little bit on those buses that travel the short route, in order to distinguish them from the regular lines. It's quite astonishing that nothing has been done to alert passengers of this in advance. Rather people are being shuffled on and off the buses like cattle, and may end up becoming late, paying a second fare, etc. How about simply making all buses go all the way. Anything would be better than keeping this inane practice in place.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
How to File a Complaint Against the MTA
Outlined are steps for filing a complaint against the MTA, or "Metro".
Whomever needs to file a complaint against the MTA for whatever wacko behavior or circumstances encountered, look no further, simply follow these steps in order to report the incident; quote:
When you complain, give as much details as possible. This betters your case. And you should report everything you see, as complaints are a public record.
Information originally, and generously provided by commenter Wad in a comments section earlier on this blog.
Whomever needs to file a complaint against the MTA for whatever wacko behavior or circumstances encountered, look no further, simply follow these steps in order to report the incident; quote:
When you complain, give as much details as possible. This betters your case. And you should report everything you see, as complaints are a public record.
Here's what you should provide when you complain:
- Badge number (the number on the driver's shirt sleeve): This is not required if you do not board the bus.
- Bus number: This is always required. This is the four-digit number of the coach (five for contract lines and three for rail lines), not the line it was on.
- Line number: This is always required as well. If explanation is still needed, this is the big number on the green or orange screen above the windshield that tells what street the bus works.
- Time of incident: Always required.
- Place of incident: What bus stop did you see the incident, and what direction was the bus traveling?
- Division number: This is optional and almost never used by most riders, but greatly speeds up reporting if it is available. The division is the garage the bus operates out of. This is either found in the corner of the windshield near the door, and Metro has plastered the numbers also above the rearmost passenger window and on the back either near the bus number or the center left. The divisions are GC-1, GC-2, SGV-3, SB-5, WSC-6/10, WSC-7, SFV-8, SGV-9, SFV-15 and SB-18. Division 6 is a part-time garage in Venice (soon to be Culver City) and is administered by Division 10.
The more information you give Metro, the better it can respond to it. And, whenever you see something wrong, do not hesitate to report it.
.Information originally, and generously provided by commenter Wad in a comments section earlier on this blog.
Labels: bus, complain, file complaint, los angeles, metro, mta, subway, train
