RTD Directors Try to Brake Reorganization Efforts

Unhappy Southern California Rapid Transit District directors, faced with the possible loss of their posts, Wednesday attacked pending Los Angeles County public transit reorganization plans. But in Sacramento, drafters of shake-up legislation moved ahead as if the RTD did not exist.

With a reorganization bill that would wipe out the RTD heading toward an Assembly vote next week, the district directors met for the second week in a row to decide what to do about the agency’s possible demise.

Some suggestions were made and directors voted to support the general idea of creating a “super agency” to run buses in the county and to construct and operate subway and light rail lines. But they criticized specific proposals to create this or other agencies as too hasty and superficial. Director Marvin Holen called the reorganization bill a “Band-Aid” and “Mercurochrome” approach to solving local transit problems.

Board member Nikolas Patsaouras criticized his colleagues for the delays by the board in coming up with a plan of its own while competing plans are moving ahead. “The train has left the station,” he said.

Two major reorganization bills are before the Legislature, one by Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sepulveda), chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee, and one by Sen. Alan Robbins (D-Van Nuys). In general, they combine the county’s two transit agencies, the RTD and the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission, into one body.

Officials agree that the measures, if they become law, will not mean an immediate change for area bus riders, except that the vehicles may have new colors and logos. The bus drivers will remain the same, officials said, as will the majority of executives. But backers of changes hope a new organization will mean more efficient operation of the bus system, along with a more economical construction of major pending rail projects and smooth operation of the rail lines, once they are completed.

The RTD operates most bus lines in the county and is constructing and will operate the Metro Rail subway, in addition to running light rail lines. The commission is in charge of transportation fund distribution and planning. It is also building a light rail line.

The bills were introduced after news reports focused on RTD management failures, including widespread driver absenteeism. In addition, the overall system came under fire for excessive duplication.

It was clear from the RTD meeting Wednesday that the directors, sharply divided and some of them clearly unfamiliar with any details of the proposed legislation, were becoming a minor factor in negotiations dominated by state legislators, the transportation commission, Los Angeles County Supervisor Deane Dana and other county officials and Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley.

As the discussion dragged on at RTD headquarters, RTD General Manager John Dyer tapped the rostrum for attention at one point as he tried to explain the Katz and Robbins bills to the directors, who were talking to each other, their attention having wandered.

In Sacramento, meanwhile, participants narrowed their areas of disagreement and expressed hope that reorganization legislation will be enacted this year, to allow the new system to go into operation Feb. 1.

Bradley and the county transportation commission, of which he is chairman, is insisting on about a dozen changes in Katz’s bill before they support it.

One major sticking point is the insistence of Katz, Robbins, Dana and others that Bradley and other elected officials serving on the new transit board attend all meetings. They wanted to make elected officials, who now usually miss meetings of the current board, more accountable for major transit decisions.

But both sides are talking compromise on that point, as well as on others.