LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio (SCPR), a member-supported public media network. Hear our news on-air at our partner site:
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
You're not imagining things. The bus benches are disappearing. Norman Bench Advertising, the company that has provided and managed approximately 6,000 bus benches around Los Angeles for the past decade, began removing them last week when they were not awarded a new contract, according to the L.A. Times.
The company had "recently come under fire from officials" for not disclosing the number of benches it actually has, and for not disclosing how much revenue it earns from ad displays.
Board of Public Works Commissioner Andrea Alarcon said Thursday that the company has been "a difficult partner" and that benches have been removed from stops in at least three City Council districts.
A new contract with Martin Outdoor Media is in the works and will go to council for approval on Tuesday. Officials say it "may be some time before the city is able to replace benches that have been removed."