Wednesday, November 28, 2012

A letter to the Los Angeles Metro rail system

Dear Metro,

Can you give me my daughter's songs back? The songs that I didn't get to hear
because of you?

On November 27, I left work in Los Angeles at 5 p.m. on my way to see my daughter sing in a school concert. I had plenty of time. If the Red Line and Blue Line trains ran on schedule, I would be at the auditorium at about 6:15, well ahead of the 7 p.m. concert.

But then a train stalled at the Blue Line-Expo Line junction, leaving myself and many others stuck at Metro Center. Eventually, our train did head out
but didn't get far. The train ahead of us broke down between Grand and San Pedro stations. After taking a bus to Firestone station, I boarded a new train only to have that one develop problems and go out of service at Del Amo.

In the end, I arrived at the concert at 7:30 too late to see my daughter sing.

It's not like you were unaware that the Blue Line has been having problems. In April, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa noted a distressing number of "delays, service disruptions and accidents along the Blue Line." He said the matter "requires immediate attention."

That was almost eight months ago.  It's time to fix the problems. Now. Before someone else misses out on a irreplaceable moment.

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