Staycation, indeed! Pam's Canned Answers Fail To Hold Back Reality

Last week, Metro staged yet another little chat with Pam from Santa Monica. The topic of the latest ever-stale virtual fireside chat was about using Metro to have a vacation without really going anywhere, hence a "staycation."

Unfortunately, the paucity of boots on the ground has kept Metro in the dark. In other words, any one taking Metro even once a week would know that the sudden surge of straphangers has resulted in loads of folk seeking questions as to how to get somewhere. The rising tide of riders' queries means Metro's desire to be ridden has been fulfilled but also that Metro failed to foresee the problems of adequate information dispersal. Moreover, the lack of competent operatives moving about the subway, light rails and buses is what appears to be Metro's problem. With so many people asking for directions—just today, I was asked how to get to Santa Monica while standing ON Santa Monica at Vermont; how to get to the Blue Line while on the Red Line as it headed downtown from MacArthur Park; and where to catch the Blue Line from yet another person at the 7th/Metro station—there is a problem that Metro needs to address before it gets too giddy from the dramatically increased ridership. Prompting people to exploit Metro for their "staycations" is not what needs to be done until some adequate measures to direct new passengers in their desired directions, are done. Perhaps even put some live people out there on the more populated platforms, and far better signage at the bus stops.

If Metro allows its tramways to be crammed with uninformed passengers, it is going to be a mess.

-BusTard