Art of Transit
new tracks. For more updates on #newblue visit metro.net/newblue
•The New York MTA estimates that 20 percent of bus riders in Gotham are not paying their fare — a rate higher than in some other metro around the world, according to the NYT. Excerpt:
Cities across the world are grappling with fare evasion, though it is far worse in New York. In Paris, the fare evasion rate for buses is 11 percent, while in Toronto it is 5 percent, according to the local transit agencies. The Paris transit system has 1,200 staff members dedicated to the problem and hands out about one million fines each year.
In London, where riders face fines as high as $1,300, the fare evasion rate on buses is only 1.5 percent. But in Washington, where about 14 percent of bus riders do not pay, the D.C. Council recently went in the other direction, approving lighter penalties because of concerns about targeting low-income riders.
LA Metro isn’t mentioned in the story but you can see our latest fare compliance stats here with numbers from last July through January of this year.
•In 2012 in Auckland, New Zealand, the mayor challenged transit officials to double ridership within a decade. With a redesigned bus network, they are on pace to do so, reports Fast Company. Excerpt:
The success of Auckland’s strategy to boost transit ridership numbers by improving its bus service should serve as an important reminder to cities that the oft-maligned bus is one of the cheapest and most nimble tools within their reach to radically reduce car dependency. We’ve seen similar successes in Seattle, which decided in 2014 to double down on its bus network to get people out of their cars.
Through a voter-approved raise on both the sales tax and a car licensing fee, the city secured funding to purchase more buses, pay more drivers to run more trips in expanded hours, and added additional lines to cover more of the city. They also expanded bus priority service by designating certain heavily trafficked lanes downtown as bus-only. Since the changes rolled out, Seattle has been one of the only cities in the U.S. to actually see transit ridership numbers grow, as most cities’ systems are struggling to retain riders.
Metro is in the midst of restructuring its bus system — we’re calling it the NextGen Bus Study. Please see this Source post from last week — and feel free to scroll down directly to the second set of bullets to a possible future bus service concept.
•A man armed with a shotgun was shot dead in the street near 7th/Metro in DTLA on Sunday afternoon, reports the LAT. The LAPD tweeted this thread on Sunday:
Today at approximately 2:15 pm, officers assigned to a detail w/ the Transit Services Division were in the area of 7th and Flower when they witnessed a man armed with a shotgun. There was a foot pursuit which went e/b 7th to Hope St at which an officer involved shooting occurred.
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) April 14, 2019
•A state bill before the Legislature this year would allow the city of San Francisco to charge a toll to drive popular Lombard Street, reports the Chronicle.
San Francisco’s Lombard Street at night. Credit: Getty Images.
•Electric-assist bikes were pulled from three bike share programs — including Citi Bike in New York — after a braking problem that led to accidents was identified, reports the NYT.
•If you’re going to the Reds-Dodgers game tonight — perhaps via the Dodger Stadium Express — a pretty good pitching matchup is on tap. The Reds’ Luis Castillo owns the third-best ERA in baseball entering today and he’s going against long-time ace Clayton Kershaw, who is making his first start of the season.
•Things to read whilst transiting: nice tribute to Nipsey Hussle in the Washington Post that looks at his Eritrean legacy.
•Things to read whilst transiting 2: the Lyell Glacier in Yosemite National Park is shrinking as the Earth warms. The California Sunday Magazine takes a deeper dive. FWIW, Metro is offering free rides next Monday for Earth Day as a way to remind folks that generally speaking taking transit instead of driving alone is a good way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Lyell Glacier in 1933: Credit: National Park Service.
A recent pic of the glacier taken from Lyell Canyon. Credit: Getty Images.