PLATFORM : Give It Time

There’s a lot riding on the Blue Line and when the free rides and the novelty wear off at the end of the month, I’m concerned that we all are going to be quick to rush to judgment because of our need for immediate gratification. And as the riders drop off, we are going to say, “See, it isn’t a success.”

I’ve looked back to some of the experiences that I have observed with ridership on similar kinds of things and I want to be sure that we don’t make this rush to judgment. For example, probably 10 or 12 years ago the FlyAway bus service opened from Van Nuys to the airport. I recall at first that there were empty parking spaces and the buses were empty. It was hard to even find a number to call to inquire about it. There were a couple of ads in the newspaper and then it was left on its own to either thrive or die. It took years and years before it was a success.

I want to be certain that as we look at the Blue Line and attempt to measure its success that we invest time and effort and make it a success.