As somebody who was for years a each day transit rider and inspired anybody and everybody to attempt L.A.’s buses and trains, I’m pained to confess that, sure, utilizing Metro has develop into a extra unnerving expertise for the reason that begin of the COVID-19 pandemic. That unhappy actuality was mirrored in Occasions reporter Rachel Uranga’s article providing a sobering view of the declining ridership, drug overdoses and crime plaguing Metro trains and stations.
The Metro system isn’t solely trains, nonetheless, and in my expertise bus operations have been usually high-quality. The trains — particularly the Crimson and Purple strains — are a special story, and Uranga’s report centered on them. Readers additionally expressed their fears using Metro trains just lately, although some wrote to say their experiences have been higher than what was reported in The Occasions.
Nonetheless, the overarching message from them was that till taking transit in Los Angeles feels safer, they’re staying away from the system.
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To the editor: My spouse and I’ve been using L.A.’s rail system for the reason that Blue Line (now the A Line) started operations in 1990. At the moment, neither of us feels secure utilizing the system.
Each time we journey, we witness some form of forbidden exercise — out-of-control folks verbally and bodily abusing different passengers, folks enjoying their music at excessive quantity, passengers strolling by the prepare promoting all the things you’ll be able to think about and so forth. Then, in fact, there’s the open use of medication talked about in your article.
Nobody checks for fare cost anymore, and police presence on the trains is sort of nonexistent. An occasional pair of cops yapping to one another on a platform will not be against the law deterrent on the trains.
Checking fare cost and having police presence on the trains are wanted to curtail the insanity and convey again ridership.
Kevin Sutlick, Lengthy Seashore
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To the editor: In Los Angeles, the place driving a automotive provides you a standing that utilizing public transportation doesn’t, it’s not honest to bad-mouth the Metro system.
Whereas it’s true that there are a selection of undesirables accompanying me on my each day journeys, different teams use the system each day. College students and vacationers make up a big portion of the individuals who accompany me on my subway rides to my downtown L.A. fitness center in addition to my neighborhood grocery retailer.
The “marginals” will be the dominant inhabitants on the prepare, however vacationers in addition to seniors like myself who now not really feel able to coping with the problem of driving a automotive in L.A. are additionally an vital a part of the system.
Our future lies in public transportation. Let’s assist the system and encourage folks to make use of it. Sure, you must preserve your wits about you, but it surely’s far much less difficult than negotiating the freeway.
Ruth Kramer Ziony, Los Feliz
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To the editor: I moved to L.A. from Detroit in 2007 and was happy with the prospects of public transit. I’ve ridden each mile of rail and loads of buses.
Earlier than the pandemic, I noticed loads of troubled folks, in fact, however a lot of commuters too. Platforms and trains had been crowded a lot of the time. However it’s modified badly since then.
Simply final week, my daughter from Amsterdam was on the town. One night, she took the L Line (previously the Gold Line) from Chinatown to Pasadena, and he or she was shaken to her core. She’s a season world traveler, however her experiencing using the prepare right here was past something she’s beforehand identified.
The system has failed. It’s a mirrored image, I concern, of a lot bigger social points that we as nation are too cowardly to handle. Can the L.A. transit system get better? Not till commuters really feel secure.
Tom Eggebeen, Pasadena
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To the editor: I take the B Line (previously the Crimson Line) to work three to 4 days every week. Whereas I do see loads of homeless folks, I’ve solely as soon as seen open drug use and have by no means (fortunately) witnessed against the law.
To explain the Metro system as an area utterly deserted to criminals and drug customers is to dismiss the hundreds of individuals I journey the prepare with on daily basis — working folks, college students and, sure, even vacationers.
I’m positive I converse for all Metro riders after I say positive, I’d prefer to have a seat on the prepare as a substitute of them being crammed by “sleepers,” and I’d positively like a cleaner expertise. However I fear that articles like this may solely make issues worse by giving the impression that nobody takes the subway, main authorities to surrender on bettering it, additional scaring away riders.
Lisa Butters-Smith, Valley Village
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To the editor: As a longtime common Metro prepare rider, I can affirm your article doesn’t exaggerate. Metro has misplaced management over its prepare system. There’s nearly no fare enforcement. Trains stink from the odor of medication and people. It’s no shock the general public is abandoning Metro trains.
Right here is an thought: One automotive from every prepare might be designated for freeloaders and drug customers, just like the smoking automotive of the previous. Designate related areas in prepare stations. Ambassadors may shepherd such people to the designated automotive or space. Everybody else may have a standard journey within the remaining prepare vehicles.
A wild thought? Positive. However a wilder thought could be for Metro to proceed to give up a transportation system that has price taxpayers many billions of {dollars}.
Carla St. Romain, Pasadena
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To the editor: Thanks on your front-page expose concerning the disturbing state of affairs on our Metro subway system.
I’ve been taking the B Line late at evening from Union Station, and it’s a terrifying expertise. On a prepare filled with zombies from a post-apocalyptic horror movie, I look like the one actual “commuter” who pays with a TAP card.
Let’s hope this publicity will immediate officers to take again our transit system.
William Simpson, Silver Lake
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To the editor: I used to be saddened however not shocked to learn Rachel Uranga’s story about rampant drug use and dysfunction on Metro. As a (former) B Line rider, I can attest to the surroundings of hazard and delinquent habits that pervade the system.
Metro’s incapability to supply a secure surroundings is a part of a broader sample of mismanagement and incompetence relationship again a long time. It consists of frequent service cuts, delays, waste and over-budget, overdue enlargement tasks.
Whereas Metro’s chief govt should share within the blame, the buck finally stops with the board of administrators. The board is usually composed of native elected officers, together with the mayor of Los Angeles and county supervisors. Sadly, they’ve used Metro as a political soccer and jobs program, somewhat than treating it as an important public asset.
In every other world metropolis, a basic breakdown of transit could be met with profuse apologies and resignations. Nevertheless, Metro’s board seems incapable of introspection and disgrace.
The state authorities should intervene by appointing a brand new board of material consultants, not politicians. Solely then will Metro stand an opportunity of turning into a secure, reliable, high-quality transportation system.
Anthony Dedousis, Los Angeles
