Transit Saturday: Plan with the BRU or Explore Torrance Transit with SO.CA.TA

Saturday two transit events will be occurring that may be of interest, and by coincidence both commence at 9:30 a.m.

The Bus Riders Union will have its monthly meeting at Immanuel Presbyterian Church (on Wilshire two blocks west of Vermont) with a light breakfast served at 9:30 a.m. followed by the meeting at 10 a.m. The agenda to no surprise indicates the main topic will be their campaign against Metro's impending fare increase: "what we need to do is have a deeper strategy conversation about what we are willing to do from here on out".

If you attend as a newbie you'll initially participate in an separate new member orientation session in which BRU organizers provide the basics of their positions and ways of doing business. My understanding from friends who have attended BRU meetings is after the orientation session is finished the new members join the main meeting in progress, which usually draws about 90 to 100 people.

The other transit activism activity on Saturday is Southern California Transit Advocates' first study tour of the year, exploring Torrance Transit.

As the SO.CA.TA website notes these study tours aren't just recreational. They also help us familiarize ourselves with transit service (frequency, hours of service, connections, etc.) locally and in adjacent areas. And our members who don't use transit daily get a dose of "seat of the pants" knowledge about transit issues.

The rendezvous point is Alameda Street south of César E. Chávez Avenue across from Union Station. At 9:30 a.m. we'll catch Torrance's route two as it travels south through downtown Los Angeles then proceeds to Torrance via the Harbor Freeway.

Regular fare for Torrance is $1 with a $1 surcharge for the buses that serve downtown L.A. Transfers are forty cents. And of course they do accept the EZ Pass. Otherwise having some dollar bills and change to pay fares seems advisable. Also bring some cash to buy lunch at the Del Amo Mall food court.

Here is the itinerary, prepared by SO.CA.TA member Paul Castillo:

take route two from Union Station at 9:30 a.m.
arrive at Del Amo Mall (Carson/Madrona) at 10:40 a.m.

walk to Line 3 stop on Carson St.

take route 3 departing at 10:55 a.m
arrive Redondo Beach Pier a 11:15 a.m.

take route 3 from Pier at 11:35 a.m.
arrive at Del Amo Mall at 11:50 a.m.

LUNCH BREAK

take route 9 from Del Amo Mall at 1 p.m.
take to end of route (Vermont/Lomita) arriving at 1:25 p.m.
take return trip arriving at Del Amo Mall at 1:50 p.m.

take route 3 from Del Amo Mall at 1:50 p.m.
go to end of route at Long Beach Transit Mall, arriving at 2:45 p.m.
take return trip departing 2:55 p.m. arriving a Del Amo Mall at 3:55 p.m.

take route 2 at Del Amo Mall at 4 p.m.
arrive at Union Station at 5:23 p.m.

All in all a busy day for transit activism, whichever activity you choose.

http://ridethepinkline.blogspot.com Dan Wentzel

Someone be sure and bring up that if the BRU’s irresponsible and reprehensible campaign against Measure R had succeeded, that the level of service cuts and fare increases we’d be facing would be truly frightening.
http://www.livablestreets.com/people/joelinton Joe Linton

@Dan Hmmm… seems to me that we’re getting frightening cuts and fare increases anyway.

Someone be sure and bring up that the BRU’s responsible and sensible campaigns have succeeded, resulting in greater levels of bus service and cheap fares – for over a decade.
http://socata.net Dana Gabbard

Dan, whoever took up your suggestion probably wouldn’t get very far before being shouted down or told to leave. Reportedly some eastside activists who sought their help in 2005 got just such a hostile response. And in 2000 they sent a letter to the members which makes clear how little they continance contrary opinions:

http://transit-insider.org/bru/racecard.htm

Joe, yes the fare increase and service cuts we are enduring are disheartening, but if you want a taste of what the dire results of Measure R losing would have been just look at what Orange County riders have suffered. Since September 2008, OCTA has reduced bus service by 20 percent. That is several magnitudes beyond what we are going through. Truly sad.
http://ridethepinkline.blogspot.com Dan Wentzel

“Someone be sure and bring up that the BRU’s responsible and sensible campaigns have succeeded, resulting in greater levels of bus service and cheap fares – for over a decade.”

————-

LOL. Thank you. I need a good laugh this morning.

Please see Orange County to see what bus service would look like for transit dependent bus riders had the BRU’s reprehensible attempt to sabotage Measure R been successful.
http://socata.net Dana Gabbard

Joe, how do you feel about the trend of BRU actions? Do you see staging what amounted to a riot at the last Metro Board meeting where they rejected anything but capitulation as a viable campaign? They are alienating even the few Boardmembers who were somewhat sympathetic with their bullying tactics. Does their agenda asking “what we are willing to do” make you concerned about the possibility of things getting out of hand? Whatever the laudible achievements of their activities in the past more recently they no longer seem to be about sincere engagement of the political process just engaging in grandstanding for publicity and to keep their members in a whirl.

And by the way they are 0 for two in re fare increases they opposed in 2007 and now this year.
http://www.livablestreets.com/people/joelinton Joe Linton

@Dana re: “they are 0 for two in re fare increases they opposed in 2007 and now this year.” I don’t think it’s at all as simple as “0 for two” – the reason that fares are as low as they are is in large part attributable to consistent BRU pressure – for many many years. Did they lose some campaigns? yes. But in the long run, their efforts have made fare increases much less palatable… which has resulted in cheaper fares for you and me.

I think that the visibility of the BRU’s campaigns keep Metro’s worst excesses from getting out of hand.
TransitPlanner

Metro’s fares are much lower than most other comparable agencies. Artifically low, thanks to the BRU. What good are low fares when there is no service ?