Officials Should Use Public Transit

Lately there has been talk about various mass-transit systems and how they could improve the transportation problem. However, technology is not the problem here. People are the problem.

First, we have the Not in My Back Yard (NIMBY) group. They are all for public mass transit as long as it is not in their neighborhood or anywhere near it.

Second, we have people who do not want any type of rapid public mass-transit system in the Valley. Many of these people perhaps fear that such a system would encourage further growth and development, thus increasing the burden on already overtaxed public services.

Third, we have those who use public transit. They would like it to be truly rapid, something it is definitely not at this time.

Finally, you have our local political leaders. They are afraid of offending any group of people. They say they are in favor of rapid transit but do very little to see that anything is done.

If we truly desire to improve existing service and build a fixed-rail transit system, we need to do three things: First, we need to consult the people who currently use the RTD in the Valley and ask them what type of public transit system they would use. Second, we should analyze ridership patterns to decide the best routes for any new system. Finally, we need to require that our local elected officials and RTD board members be required to use the RTD to commute to and from work.

If our officials were required to ride the RTD to and from their homes to downtown, there would definitely be a change for the better in service. Ditto if RTD officials were required to do the same. Only when they have to join the real world of the general population will there be incentive for them to do anything about solving the problem.

PHILIP NATHAN

Van Nuys