Bus Line 430 Is Threatened

Rather than fighting rush-hour traffic in the morning, Pacific Palisades resident Hayley Levy listens to her iPod, sends e-mails on her BlackBerry and reads the newspaper on her way to work.   For the past two years, Levy has ridden Commuter Express Route 430, which makes two round trips Monday through Friday from Pacific Coast Highway and Sunset Boulevard to the Patsaouras Transit Center near L.A. Union Station.   ’I think it’s the safest, most convenient way to get downtown and a great resource for the community,’ said Levy, who works at the nonprofit organization, Special Service for Groups. She boards the bus at Drummond Street and Sunset and the entire trip takes her 45 minutes.   Unfortunately for Levy and others like her, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation has proposed canceling Route 430. This is the third time LADOT has threatened to terminate the line since 2002.   LADOT expects a $23-million budget shortfall for the 2010-11 fiscal year, and if services and user fees remain unchanged, LADOT predicts a $350-million deficit over the next 10 years. As a result, the department has decided to reduce services, such as Route 430, and increase fares for all of its services.   To determine which services to cut, LADOT looked at Commuter Express and DASH routes with low ridership or with services that may be duplicated by Metro or other carriers, according to a press release from LADOT spokesman Bruce Gillman.   With an average daily ridership of 53 people, Route 430 was rated as a marginal performer with services that are duplicated by taking Metro Line 2 to Commuter Express Line 431. By canceling the route, LADOT anticipates that it will save $179,000.   Westwood Hills resident Jody Litvak, who has taken Route 430 for the past five years, argues that all the other routes to downtown take much longer.   ’It’s the only viable alternative for public transportation on the Westside,’ said Litvak, a community relations manager for Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro).   Palisades resident Steve Lantz, a rider of Route 430 since moving here in 1995, pointed out that other commuter buses make more than seven round trips a day, and he believes it would be more effective to reduce the number of trips on those routes rather than completely eliminate service to an entire area.   Lantz, who works as the director of communications for Metrolink, added that Palisades and Brentwood residents pay their taxes and deserve service.   ’There needs to be regional equity,’ Lantz said. ‘It’s unfair.’   When LADOT proposed canceling Route 430 in 2005, Lantz fought to save the line and won a Golden Sparkplug Award from the Pacific Palisades Community Council for his efforts. With the help of Community Council member Haldis Toppel, he had the route redirected to Loyola High School, a move that increased ridership enough to keep the bus running. ‘The line was turned from a poor performer to marginal,’ Lantz said.   Thomas Ouligian, a Loyola High School sophomore, has relied on the bus to transport him to school for nearly two years, and he would hate to see it cancelled. ‘It sucks,’ Ouligian said. ‘I think they should keep it up. It’s convenient for the parents.’ Otherwise, parents have to drive their kids to school along the 10 freeway to Venice Boulevard and Normandie Avenue. Ouligian, 16, explained that parents take turns carpooling when school gets out at 2:15 p.m. His peers who participate in after-school clubs or sports are able to take the bus home. The buses stop at Loyola in the evenings at 5:11 p.m. and 6 p.m., and the one-way fare costs $2.20. Lantz and other bus riders are busy trying to save the bus once more. They have received the support of L.A. City Councilman Bill Rosendahl and started a letter campaign. Last Thursday, Lantz pleaded before the Palisades Community Council, which voted unanimously to oppose terminating the route. ‘We urge LADOT to continue to provide this important service, which provides the only Los Angeles City transit linkage between the communities of Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, West Los Angeles, Loyola High School and downtown Los Angeles,’ the Council’s motion read. Bus advocates asked for the support of the Brentwood Community Council at its meeting on Tuesday night. The outcome of that request was not available at press time. LADOT will hold six public hearings to allow the public to comment on the proposed reductions. The hearing in West Los Angeles will be held on February 16 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Henry Medina West L.A. Parking Enforcement Facility (11214 W. Exposition Blvd.) in the Roll Call Room on the second floor. LADOT will accept comments or suggestions until March 3. Contacts: hearingofficer@store.ladottransit.com, (213) 455-0880, and LADOT, 201 N. Los Angeles St., #18B, Los Angeles, CA 90012.