Dead MTA Escalators surveys.

On our recent fieldtrip back east we at ShameTrain LA/ The Bus Bench did a video and photo study of the trains, busses, and other modes of public transport in DC and New York City.

We'll be posting those in the next few weeks.

In L.A. lots of people don’t want to be honest about who takes public transportation.

The same people who take public transport in New York don’t take it in L.A.

The people who take public transport in L.A. are poor, working class, elderly, and disabled. They take it because they can’t afford a car or they aren’t allowed to drive; while there are exceptions, keep in mind these are exceptions.

I have a friend who is visually impaired and walks with a cane. He lives right by the Gold Line, but he doesn’t take it.

“I can’t navigate the stairs and the escalators and elevators don’t work reliably enough.”

Instead when he goes to his job in Hollywood, he has to take a series of MTA busses and the DASH.

One day I waited with him for the DASH. It took one hour. When the bus finally did come I had to help him onto the bus, because his good leg had stiffened up so much he could barely get up the stairs.

In L.A. we only have bus benches where people in cars are most likely to look over and see advertising. That's why in South Central and East L.A. and in some of the more desolate spots, you'll just have stand on the hot concrete while the sun burns its way into your skull.

In DC when the elevators and escalators are out they tell you many stops in advance and offer a free shuttle at the next stop where they are working to your destination if you are disabled or elderly.

Reports daily.

This dead UP escalator was at Sunset and Vermont at round noon on Thursday, 03 January 2008. Less than an hour later, it was again working; nearby was an MTA service van as well as a maintenance man who appeared to have simply switched it back on via the little button at the bottom.

This dead UP escalator was at Santa Monica and Vermont at nearly 1 p.m. on Thursday, 03 Jan. 2008.

This dead UP escalator was at Westlake-MacArthur Park at 1 p.m. on Thursday, 03 Jan. 2008. perhaps the MTA is slyly advocating Angelinos walk a wee bit more?

Shametrain LA