By Ken Ruben Santa Monica
In response to Joanne Gamlin’s letter, (SMDP, Oct. 28, page 4), she is right on the money in all of her comments in regards to Big Blue Bus.
As a 56-year transit rider (Big Blue Bus, Culver City Bus, MTA and predecessors), and a transit advocate-historian and a member of various transit-rail advocacy and historical groups, I would like to offer additional comments.
I have had occasion to ride Big Blue Bus No. 10 during the current MTA strike to downtown LA (Union Station) and in most instances, my bus was also “sardined.”
All of the Big Blue Bus drivers involved with my trips did an outstanding job and one of them got me to Union Station just in time to see and say hello to the president of Amtrak, David Gunn, who was departing Los Angeles on the Southwest Chief.
As Joanne stated, extra buses are being operated on Big Blue Bus Line No. 10 and, in one instance, I boarded a bus in downtown Los Angeles that ran ahead of the usual hourly departure from Union Station (after 7 p.m.). This was extremely helpful, and convenient to me and other riders.
In addition to Big Blue, don’t forget the other “munis” currently operating: Culver City Bus, Long Beach Transit, Torrance Bus Lines, Montebello Bus Lines, Gardena Bus Lines, Norwalk Transit, Glendale Beeline, etc. And also, DASH, LADOT (Commuter Express), Foothill Transit and Metrolink.
In the current MTA Strike crisis situation, all of the aforementioned transit and rail operators are doing a yeoman’s job of serving the transit riding public.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 30, 2003. Read the original PDF.