Nine routes are up for elimination, some would see reductions, others would get enhanced service, operating costs would be reduced, and maintenance would be improved.
L.A.'s bus service faces major cuts
"Metro Chief Executive Arthur Leahy pointed to 'astonishingly low' ridership levels on buses headed into downtown L.A. each morning, and noted that the bus system operates at about 42% capacity overall.
"Leahy, who began his career as a bus operator, said the [federal consent] decree [under which the system operated for 10 years] forced Metro to add buses 'without regard to whether it was better service or properly managed.' Along with the cuts, his plans also call for enhanced service on more than a dozen lines.
"'I like buses; I grew up in the bus system,' he added. 'But I also grew up in a system that was very efficient, a system where people worked very hard to make sure there was an efficient realization of taxpayer dollars. That's the point here.'
"If approved, the cuts would drop Metro's peak fleet to about 1,900 buses — 400 fewer than it operated during the height of the decree.
"The latest changes also call for an increase in the buses' load factor from 1.2 to 1.3, meaning that a 40-seat bus would carry a maximum of 52 passengers, instead of the 48 it carries now. The plan would cut Metro's net operating costs by an estimated $23 million and allow the agency to better maintain its bus fleet, something Leahy said has been put on the back burner."
L.A.'s bus service faces major cuts
"Metro Chief Executive Arthur Leahy pointed to 'astonishingly low' ridership levels on buses headed into downtown L.A. each morning, and noted that the bus system operates at about 42% capacity overall.
"Leahy, who began his career as a bus operator, said the [federal consent] decree [under which the system operated for 10 years] forced Metro to add buses 'without regard to whether it was better service or properly managed.' Along with the cuts, his plans also call for enhanced service on more than a dozen lines.
"'I like buses; I grew up in the bus system,' he added. 'But I also grew up in a system that was very efficient, a system where people worked very hard to make sure there was an efficient realization of taxpayer dollars. That's the point here.'
"If approved, the cuts would drop Metro's peak fleet to about 1,900 buses — 400 fewer than it operated during the height of the decree.
"The latest changes also call for an increase in the buses' load factor from 1.2 to 1.3, meaning that a 40-seat bus would carry a maximum of 52 passengers, instead of the 48 it carries now. The plan would cut Metro's net operating costs by an estimated $23 million and allow the agency to better maintain its bus fleet, something Leahy said has been put on the back burner."
