MTA’s Efforts on Crowding

“MTA: A Vital Game of Numbers” (editorial, Feb. 17), about efforts, including a successful suit, to correct the problem with overcrowded MTA buses during peak rush-hour periods, was amusing. That’s because the little word “average” provides the MTA with such a huge loophole that you could drive the Titanic through it. Two hundred MTA buses can have 30 standees jammed awkwardly together like sardines and 201 full buses with no one standing and, at least technically, MTA is in compliance with the suit.

Too often the view from the bus stop is both frustrating and grim. Most evenings I get off the Blue Line at Pico around 5:30 and it isn’t unusual for the first three buses to have so many standing that the driver won’t even stop. On Feb. 17, I left work early, expecting to be spared the rush-hour crush. I stood on the street as, one after another, four jammed buses flew past me. Well, the fourth did stop, but only to let some passengers off, and the driver wouldn’t even open his door as I pointed four fingers at him and screamed that he was the fourth who wouldn’t pick me up. One woman muttered that five crowded buses had passed her.

Riding a bus in Los Angeles during rush hour can be a nightmare for beleaguered bus riders--if they can get one to pick them up!

RONALD D. HARDCASTLE

Los Angeles

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Is the MTA in compliance with the consent decree? Not on your life! My own personal experience shows me that even during non-rush hours, the buses are overcrowded. To make it worse, the bus drivers aren’t adequately supervised. At the Wilshire/Western Metro Station, the drivers for Lines 320/322 (Wilshire Limited) have a tendency to spend up to 20 minutes chatting while the schedule says they depart every 5-10 minutes.

Late buses are a big factor to be considered in the overcrowding equation. Perhaps if the MTA did a better job of supervising its drivers, there wouldn’t be such a problem with overcrowding.

CHRIS PALEY

Los Angeles