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July 8, 2008
Villaraigosa Claims LA is on Track to Become the Cleanest and Greenest; LADOT's Lack of Oversight Might DASH those Lofty Goals
Thursday afternoon, there were two DASH buses and a DASH shuttle vehicle parked on Hollywood Boulevard, all of them idling. The 2nd DASH bus had an operator at the wheel and he pulled out into the street, passing the 1st DASH bus and stopping to chat for a moment with an operator on the street who then jumped into the shuttle vehicle and drove away, leaving an idling DASH bus on the street.
Idling. Empty. Open.
Earlier in the day I made several calls to the LADOT. Corine Ralph of the LADOT, the agency responsible for the Contractor that operates the DASH line. She said that any fuel waste was a cost absorbed by the Contractor and that the LADOT had no policy regarding idling on layover.
Kari Nazarian of the LADOT thought that there was a layover policy (not to exceed 5 minutes of idling) for the DASH line but that it only covered the propane burning vehicles and not the operator's shuttle vehicle. Kari agreed that the idling issue is not just a fuel cost issue but that it is also a pollution issue. He said he believed that there were supervisors in the field to ensure that the rules are followed.
LADOT's Public Information Director, Bruce Gillman, said that he thought that the idling might be because of the need for air conditioning and that it probably only happened on hot days. I asked about any internal LADOT policies regarding DASH line idling, fuel costs and pollution and he said he did not know.
I called LADOT's Assistant General Manager John Fisher who gave me contact info for Chief of Transit Services James Lefton. (not available but would be back on Monday) I thanked John for the contact info, expressed my concerns over the wasted fuel and unnecessary pollution and he assured me that Jim Lefton or Phil Aker, the Supervising Transportation Planner, would be able to address my concerns.
It was then than I went and rode down Hollywood Boulevard and came across the aforementioned scenario. I called John Fisher. He answered. I told him that an LADOT DASH bus was sitting on Hollywood Boulevard, between Argyle and El Centro.
Idling. Empty. Open.
I took a couple of pictures, looked at my watch (13 minutes have passed) and as I took off, I noticed a guy in a DASH uniform crossing the street and walking down the sidewalk toward the DASH bus. As I rode off, he stepped on to the Bus.
What a great company to work for. Waste is not an issue. Pollution is not an issue. Security is not an issue.
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Oh my god does LAist not have an editorial staff?
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hey paul.... stop being a whiny little Luke Skywalker wannabe bitch.
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Is there anything, anything at all, I can do to get you to stop writing about idling cars??
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Help!
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Good work Steven!!
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@Looseleaves, thank you.
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I'm gonna assume that all you people that complain about the idling cars drive big gas guzzling SUV's and idle yourselves. Way to suck people.
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I don't understand why anyone's upset at Box for posting these stories. Seriously, what's the problem? It's a good issue to address.
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these posts would be far more useful if stephen provided some interesting statistics about the amount of fuel wasted or the amount of pollution caused by idling cars. maybe even come up with a ballpark figure on how much the city could be saving if they enacted some sort of policy on idling cars and buses.
but no, for the most part we're just getting pictures of cars and buses. this particular post gave us a little more, but it would have been far better had stephen waited until after talking to jim lefton and phil aker to post this. hell, he didn't even tell us what john fisher said in response to his second phone call.
stephen - do you actually have a plan of action beyond calling in and complaining whenever you see an idling car or bus? have you tried contacting the mayor's office? city council members? county board members? spare us the daily updates, get some REAL information and then post a story.
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Everytime i drive down the freeway and see a call box sign i get this incredible urge to call stephen. alas i dont have my bluetooth yet.
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Benjamin, yes, there is a plan and trust Stephen that he is contacting anybody that he can in the city departments. People who know Stephen, know that he follows through and he does a thorough investigation.
You could also pick up the phone yourself and make some calls to the departments and demand from them that they enforce the idlying law.
Here is another person who is pissed off about the Metro idling their vehicles, wasting money and then asking for more money so they can idle some more and pollute the air:
www.youtube.com/user/AyeCarrumba
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Jedi of Hollywood: I haven't had a car for over 3 years. Just biking, walking, and riding Metro for me. Shocking how just because someone disagrees with you they aren't "the enemy." Suck it.
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I don't have any problem with him writing about the issue. Its an important issue (to a degree) and everyone who read his first entry about it got the point. Now, I feel it is just repetitive not to mention preaching to choir. And just to address the person who assumed I drive a gas-guzzler: I drive a 97 Chrystler Concorde but more than that I have worked professionally for several environmental action groups (Greenpeace and Altwheels among them). Just because someone disagrees with the way something is being reported doesn't mean they are against the cause behind the reporting.
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Why does that idiot Villaragosa not stay in LA, first he pandered to Hillary now for Obama. He went to Israel for a 10 day trip costing $750,000.
He should stay here and try and do something for our schools and roads. I know he is the Pothead King but our schools are the worst.
LS
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The film industry as well as the trucking industry does a hell of a lot more idling than public service / public transport - especially trucking. Port of LA is filled with idling diesels.