"Bus Combat" is the title of a commentary written by Bus Rider's Union co-chair Barbara Lott-Holland. This is perhaps the most surreal flyer every produced by the BRU, consisting of Lott-Holland's rambling comments on her discomfort at the behavior of men on the bus. This one has to be read to be believed! (a tip of the hat to Ken Ruben who discovered a cache of these on a bus he was riding and gave me one subsequently).

In promoting its proposed 10 year contract for having TVs on the buses MTA staff state when tried in Milwaukee "the vast majority of passengers enjoyed the information and entertainment provided". While that may be true the National Public Radio program Morning Edition on May 23, 2003 broadcast a report that Milwaukee riders and drivers were complaining about the advertisements that are part of the transit network, as exemplified by these comments of rider Justin Edwards: "Frankly I think it's ridiculous that we're forced to listen to advertisements as well when we could be having conversations with friends instead of something". I may well attend the Dec. 13 MTA Board meeting to comment on the contract proposal (which by the way was not presented to the Sector Councils for their input).

Could Governor Schwarzenegger finally be getting the message that neglecting our crumbling infrastructure is bad for business? That is just the message he got from Japanese businessman during Arnold's recent trade trip to Japan according to James Flanigan's Dec. 6 L.A. Times column ("New Thinking is Needed to Unclog Roads and Ports"). Also a meeting was recently held in Sacramento of key stakeholders interested in the protection of Proposition 42. This was in response to rumors the Dept. of Finance is again eyeing transportation trust funds to help close the state budget gap in the forthcoming fiscal year. How these various factors play out should be interesting.

Remember the saying "Put your money where your mouth is"? Santa Monica is proving its intense support of the Exposition light rail project by drawing down $30 million in reserve funds to buy a parcel for a future terminus station adjacent to the Promenade.

I am glad to see a cooperative regional approach being taken to goods movement aka the MultiCounty Goods Movement Action Plan. My one qualm is the list of stakeholders for consultation has mostly the usual suspects. Hopefully we ordinary mortals will also have a chance to provide input...

question of the month - what is the new name for MTA's Universal Fare System (UFS)? TAP-Transit Access Pass.

Following up on my comments last month on Gold Line uber-opponent David Margrave the Oct. 3 Pasadena Star-News in a profile titled "Crossing the Line?" contemplated possible conflicts of interest in Mr. Margrave's railing against the Gold Line. One revelation is Margrave's ex-wife has several properties along the alignment slated for development (with Mr. Margrave as the developer). The article describes the Margrave divorce as precipitated by Mr. Margrave's desire to renounce state involvement in the marriage bond, a belief in the using precious metals for currency and "a hint that at one point in his life he feared bankruptcy or some form of litigation". All this although the Margraves live together and David Margrave makes constant reference to "his wife". No wonder the Star-News headline termed Margrave "Citizen, Activist, Enigma".

puzzle of the month--why did MTA assume the fare restructuring that went into effect Jan. 1 would result in a 10% increase in revenue? (actual result was 2.5% per agenda item #22, Nov. 18 MTA Finance and Budget Committee).

"You can't allow a few hundred people to inconvenience hundreds of thousands of people". Who said that? Richard Close, President of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association, in the Oct. 31 Daily News ("Valley Mourns Traffic Plan") describing community opposition killing a reversible lane on Sepulveda Blvd. in the Sepulveda Pass. This is dumfounding because Richard Close was the chief agitator against the proposal to add lanes to the 101 thru the San Fernando Valley, rallying residents to stymie the original project. Why would Close be a vehemently NIMBY when it comes to the 101 but anti-community when it comes to the 405 corridor? Turns out Close lives next to the 101 freeway but commutes daily to the westside on the 405.

In late 2001/early 2002 30 homeowners located on Elder Avenue, east of Perris Blvd. and north of SR 60 in Moreno Valley were given an opportunity as part of a HOV lane project to request soundwalls be built adjacent to their properties. To receive federal funds for the soundwalls 100% of impacted homeowners had to vote yes. 18 property owners voted yes, 2 voted no and 10 did not respond. July of this year property owners belated requested reconsideration of having a soundwall constructed. This was the subject of an extensive discussion at the Oct. 13 Riverside County Transportation Commission meeting. The upshot is residents claimed to have been confused by letters sent them by Caltrans (although a phone number to contact Caltrans with any questions had been included with the voting materials). Politicians representing the affected homeowners requested RCTC fund the soundwalls (the feds won't fund a soundwall after the process of polling homeowners is complete). RCTC Executive Director Eric Haley warned re-opening the process would set a dangerous (and expensive) precedent. On a narrow 14-13 vote the request was denied.

I'll conclude by offering my congratulations to the Pacific Railroad Society on the recent return of their historic ex-Union Pacific sleeping car the National Forum. The car spent nearly a year in Seattle (thru freezing weather) after being damaged in a switching accident. Hopefully soon the Forum will return to providing trips as a private car with Amtrak legal status (attached to the rear of Amtrak trains).