Tracking LEEDS
Its appearance may not be fancy, but Metro’s brand new Division 3 bus maintenance building has a long list of eco-friendly assets. And some of them could be adapted for our own living spaces. There’s standard issue stuff: high-efficiency lighting (florescent), low-flow toilets and drought-resistant landscaping. Other assets are somewhat [continue reading]
A Day at the Track, Driving a Bus
I’m a transit rider for a variety of reasons, but if I was to pick a single reason that encompasses all the rest, it would be this: I’d just rather not drive on the mean streets of Los Angeles. However, I still need to get around and that means someone [continue reading]
Molina: “I don’t trust the MTA”
Metro Board Member and County Supervisor Gloria Molina spared few words in explaining to her colleagues on the Board why she is skeptical about money in the long-range plan being spread around the region in an equitable way. Her reason: The Eastside Gold Line that is scheduled to open soon. [continue reading]
Metro Board adopts long-range plan
The Metro Board just approved the long-range plan unanimously, also incorporating an amendment from Board Member and County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. One key provision of that amendment is that Metro commits to operating the Foothill Gold Line Extension to Azusa prior to 2017 — if a way can be found [continue reading]
Debate on long-range plan begins; first amendment introduced
The Metro Board of Directors’ debate on the agency’s long-range plan is underway. Board member and County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas kicked things off by offering an amendment that would: 1. Require Metro to study several possible funding sources that could be used to build the Crenshaw Corridor and Foothill Gold [continue reading]
Long-range plan discussion has begun
I hope the Metro Board of Directors are well-hydrated and have recently eaten. Their discussion of the long-range plan has begun — and it’s fair to say this will be a long-range conversation. Metro CEO Art Leahy just told the Board that he recommends that they adopt the plan. There [continue reading]
Rail car issue resurfaces; Board votes to revise contract
UPDATE, 3:45: The Board voted unanimously to accept Metro CEO Art Leahy’s recommendations on some changes to the contract. The focus of today’s Board meeting is the long-range plan. But the Board will also — once again, with feeling — revisit the issue of a contract with the rail car [continue reading]
LaBonge joins Metro Board for the day
A wrinkle in today’s Board meeting: Board member Jose Huizar is out of town, so Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has appointed Los Angeles Councilman Tom LaBonge to be his temporary replacement, according to city officials. The mayor has three appointees on the board and the advantage of having all [continue reading]
TAP card audit is now online — but not on Metro’s website
An audit of Metro’s TAP fare card program was submitted to the agency last month and it wasn’t pretty. The audit, in short, found that that the cost of the program increased from $75.5 million to $154 million over the last decade (some as a result of adding things like [continue reading]