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Post by Dan Wentzel on Nov 22, 2007 16:44:57 GMT -8
I just want to put a plug in for the BBB. Their miniBlue program seems to be a success. They noticed that when the crosstown line was offered twice as frequently, that ridership went up dramatically.
Not rocket science.!
I cannot wait for the Rapid 7 to start service on Pico. I hope it will go all the way to downtown and not just to Pico-Rimpau. I'm disappointed the 728 only goes to Century City, buy glad the Rapid system is extending. It seems to me that could go farther west, even to UCLA.
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Post by neyojii on Nov 22, 2007 21:06:55 GMT -8
I agree with you about the Big Blue Bus, but doesn't Olympic BLVD have the Commuter Express 534, to get from Downtown, to UCLA?  |
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Post by zoostation on Dec 7, 2007 10:20:56 GMT -8
Has Big Blue ever considered a Valley bus, say Van Nuys/Ventura or Sepulveda/Ventura to downtown Santa Monica via SaMo Blvd or Wilshire? There certainly would seem to be a market for this.
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Post by Dan Wentzel on Dec 7, 2007 12:13:25 GMT -8
Has Big Blue ever considered a Valley bus, say Van Nuys/Ventura or Sepulveda/Ventura to downtown Santa Monica via SaMo Blvd or Wilshire? There certainly would seem to be a market for this. This would be popular. Send them a letter suggesting it. If the reason the 761 stops at Wilshire is a "turf dispute" on Westwood Blvd., meaning people have to catch a bus, to then catch another bus to head destinations east on SMB, on Olympic, Pico, etc., then I can only imagine the turf dispute if SMB had it's own service going over the Sepulveda Pass. It is needed and would be popular. Sigh. I hate turf wars. Theoretically, all agencies should be on the side of the transit rider. |
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Post by zoostation on Dec 7, 2007 20:27:41 GMT -8
I just sent in my suggestion. I think there is a huge need for it. I also threw in the suggestion that the line could end at the Van Nuys Orange Line station. It would be nice to have Big Blue's great service hit the Valley.
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Post by Dan Wentzel on Mar 18, 2008 23:39:29 GMT -8
Big Blue Bus is trying to get to Wilshire for the Rapid 7. Great idea, but...
I just received the following note today from Dan Dawson, Customer Relations Manager at the Big Blue Bus:
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"Thank you so very much for the kind words and the thoughtful ideas. I will make sure your comments are included in the public record and forward them on to our planning department. We hope to be able to connect to the Red line with the Rapid 7, but Metro has not given us the 'green light' to operate in their service area. We are trying to make a case that allowing us to connect to the Red line (or other lines as you suggested) explaining to metro that it is a benefit to transit riders who use both our systems. But, to date, we can not get Metro to allow this. If you are so inclined, a letter of support to your City Council person and/or to Pam O'Conner who is the Chiar of the MTA and also a Council member for the City of Santa Monica would help to show public support."
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I was once told in confidence by a member of the San Fernando Valley Service Sector Council that the reason why the 761 Rapid is so weak and poops out at Wilshire Blvd., instead of going to Pico, Venice, Washington or even LAX is because of "turf disputes". "That's always been part of that service area."
That is ridiculous. There shouldn't be ANY turf wars. The only thing that should matter is providing the best possible customer service to transit riders regardless of "turf".
Let's ask the MTA to give BBB permission to go to Wilshire/Western or Vermont and let's ask the BBB and Culver City Bus to give the MTA permission to extend the 761 Rapid south or create a 961 that covers more distance, say LAX to Metrolink in the Valley.
Most riders have no idea that their service on the Westside may be limited by "turf" decisions rather than transit need decisions. That has to stop pronto. I'm firing off my letter to the MTA pronto. Please do likewise.
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Post by bobdavis on Mar 24, 2008 21:31:29 GMT -8
Happenings in the Santa Monica area rarely affect me, but I'd like to add some thoughts about "turf battles": Over the years, there's been a constant shifting between "centralization" and "divestiture". The old RTD, for example, bought out Pasadena City Lines in the 60's, and acquired several other local operations also. Part of its "inheritance" from Pacific Electric was service to San Bernardino and Riverside. Now we have Foothill Transit serving some of the territory that was PE in ancient times, Pasadena has its own local bus service again, and San Bernardino and Riverside each have their own bus systems. Judging from some of the comparisons of Santa Monica/BBB and today's Metro, there is an optimum size for transit operating entities--big enough for economies of scale, but not so big as to be unwieldy. (same seems to go for school districts). Unfortunately, people's travel needs don't alway fit into transit provider boundaries; this is one of the reasons why the automobile is so popular and transit (especially bus transit) is such a hard sell.
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Post by nickv on Aug 5, 2008 23:32:09 GMT -8
Big Blue Bus - Getaway Promotions
SAT 8/9/2008
Santa Monica College - Santa Barbara Pier
Departure: Buses will leave Santa Monica College Campus, 1900 Pico Blvd. promptly at 8:00am
Return: Buses will leave Santa Barbara promptly at 5:00 p.m., returning to Santa Monica at approximately 7:30pm (subject to traffic conditions)
Cost: $35.00 per person. (meals not included)
SAT 9/30/2008
Santa Monica College - LA County Fair
Departure: Buses will leave Santa Monica College Campus, 1900 Pico Blvd. promptly at 9:00am
Return: Buses will leave Fairplex promptly at 6:00 p.m. returning to Santa Monica approximately at 7:30 p.m. (subject to traffic conditions).
Cost: $35.00 per person. (meals not included) $25.00 per child (6 to 12 years) (meals not included)
SAT 10/18/2008
Santa Monica College - Old Town Temecula - Pechanga Resort
Departure: Buses will leave Santa Monica College Campus, 1900 Pico Blvd. promptly at 8:00am
Return: Buses will leave Temecula promptly at 5:00pm, returning to Santa Monica approximately at 7:00pm (subject to traffic conditions).
Cost: $35.00 per person.
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