new metro station monitors to show train schedules
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The Metro rail riding experience in Los Angeles is about to take a huge leap forward!
A few months ago, the Metropolitan Transit Authority began installing new LCD monitors throughout its subway stations to replace antiquated LED banners. The new high-tech LCDs thus far have been programmed to show basic safety “riding reminders.” Many frequent riders expressed disappointed the MTA hasn’t made better use of this new-and-improved display system.
Today, we see that the MTA is more practical than we’ve come to expect. The new station LCD monitors will soon show train destination, arrival and departure information. In addition, white indicator lights on monitors near the loading platforms should flash to alert riders that a train is arriving.
The upgrades come as the MTA recently passed a controversial motion to study the implementation of turnstiles in all metro stations to help recoup fares evaded on the current honor system.
Metro watchers are surmising that this is the first step toward distance-based fares using a TAP (Transit Access Pass) card system. TAP kiosks were installed in our subway stations over the last year but have yet to become functional outside of limited trial runs.
We should expect to see more improvements to our evolving metro system in coming months.
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18 comments
Hooray! As another regular metro rider (subway at least twice a day just about every week day and often a weekend rider as well) I too have been wondering how they could not display more and better info on the new monitors. I suppose I’ll reserve complete judgment until I’ve seen what exactly they’re displaying but I’m with you guys on this one—this indeed is a [potential] great leap forward, and is most welcome news!
Nico, are the trains safe for a women to travel alone in the evening? I am talking about the purple and gold lines.
Kudos, MTA.
Here’s something that always pissed me off about the Red/Purple Line stations:
Say you’re just entering the Pershing Square and you’re heading to Hollywood/Highland. As you come down that first escalator you hear a train down below arriving/leaving the station. You know you’ve just missed a train but you don’t know which one:
A. Union Station-bound Red/Purple Linetrain
B. Hollywood-bound Red Line train
C. Wilshire/Western-bound Purple Line train.
So, you get to the platform and all is quiet. Is the next train heading west a Purple or Red Line train? Is your wait going to be 1 minute or 10 minutes?
I know that the LED readouts have been attempting to give more information. But this sounds better. I’m assuming that these new LCD screens will show not only when the next train is due at the station, but also (when downtown and heading west) whether the train is going to Wilshire/Western or Hollywood. I know, I know…this all may sound nitpicking but really, it’s sometimes the little things like this that can make a huge difference when riding in a hole in the ground.
why didn’t they think of that earlier? doesn’t seem that difficult to me…I’ve had a few people ask me these simple questions…how often do these trains come by? what time? next train arriving goes where? FINALLY!
yes, Yes and YES!
And best of all, the displays now show the uniform Metro fonts! They look a lot slicker that way.
AJ: Predators smell fear. If you look and act afraid, chances are you’ll more likely be a victim of crime. Walk briskly, yet confidently and maybe show a little exasperation in your facial and body language expressions, and no one will mess with you.
That being said, mugging/assault/etc is an extremely uncommon incident on Metro Rail. You’d actually have a better chance being carjacked in your vehicle than mugged in the rail system.
There are also surveillance cams all over the place.
If the transit agency is worried about fare evasion as the biggest crime in the rail system (as opposed to robbery/assault/shooting/etc), then it’s actually a pretty safe transit system.
Thank you militant angeleno. My wife and I work around the Mid-Wilshire area (Wilshire and Highland) and would like to move to Pasadena. I was looking at options we have communting to and from Pasadena. Your reply goes a long way.
I agree with militant angeleno’s above post as far as a good way to act if you don’t want to be bothered. On my many bus and subway rides over the past few years in LA I’ve been approached by plenty of people I’d rather not talk to, as is the usual in public tranist situations—but almost always just acting uninterested and ignoring the person (or saying “no, sorry and smiling before turning away” if someone asks for change) works perfectly well.
Specifically in response to your question AJ (“are the trains [red/purple lines] safe for a women to travel alone in the evening?”) I’d say that my guess is that they’re statistically extremely safe, but unfortunately in this case (as has been discussed in another transit conversation on this site — http://www.angelenic.com/infrastructure/los-angeles-subway-turnstiles-yes-please/) a big issue is the PERCEPTION of safety. In that respect I have to say that I could understand if a woman didn’t necessarily FEEL so safe simply because late in the evenings there are less people around etc.. But I’m not a woman and I ride late at night pretty regularly and I just keep my ipod with me and put it on and ignore people, and haven’t had (or seen) a single late-night problem yet!
PS, I LOVE being able to take the subway to/from work. It’s so convenient and much less of a hassle. I highly recommend it if that’s an option.
I commute from Pasadena to 7th/Metro by rail daily. It’s not too much further to get to mid-Wilshire. If you are moving to Pasadena there are many good options to live near a gold line station. I am able to walk to the Lake station, so I don’t even need a car to commute. If you need a car, there is ample free parking at the Sierra Madre Villa station (plus it is the end/beginning of the line, so you can always get a seat).
Door-to-door it may take longer than driving, but I enjoy my time on the train as “my time”. It is the only part of the day where I can relax, listen to music, read a book, and not think about work. I think it makes for a better lifestyle all around.
The word was that MTA was going to implement “arriving train” information on these monitors, but I was afraid it was going to take YEARS for the MTA to do this, instead months which it has taken. I think they were just waiting for the screens to be installed at ALL the Red/Purple line stations before they could implement the dynamic information.
Yay for that! But I will repeat, BOO for the turnstiles! And Boo for distance based fares!!!
No turnstiles! People don’t belong in cages!
Scott - so you are saying New Yorkers, Londoners, Parisans, etc… live in cages?
Honestly, there is nothing wrong with turnstiles. Like mentioned earlier, and concern for others, its a perception of safety. I feel safer when I “walk into” the station, whereas in LA, anybody can walk into the station.
As an experienced solo female train rider I can honestly say that, with the exception of a few weirdos staring somewhat inappropriately at me on occasions, I’ve never had an unpleasant experience on any of the lines (I’ve been on all of them and frequently take the bus as well). I do, however, carry a pepper spray gun on my hip at all times and a kubaton and whistle on my keyring that I wear on a rope on around my neck just as a precautionary measure. Also, the Metro police are really quick to respond to disturbances. In short, I never feel unsafe.
Hope I was able to help. =)
I agree with LA of Anaheim. I have seen urinating and smoking in the subway by homeless people. I am sure they did not buy a ticket. I also think it is very safe but I also thought it was very strange there were no turnstiles. The turnstiles will also prevent some vandalism. My complaint is the frequency. The sooner they can increase the frequency the better…I am sure more people would be apt to ride it.
Yes, I’ve been in the New York subway. It’s depressing. There are giant floor-to-ceiling iron bars. You feel like a hamster in a giant cage. It stinks. Now that I’ve had the barrier-free subway for 15 years, I don’t want to go back to the other system. Sorry if we disagree, but that’s just my opinion, and I feel passionately about it.
You have to deal with homeless people in the street anyway, why can’t you deal with them in the subway? I’ve never seen any of them urinating in the subway, but I’m sure it happens, I believe mostly in the elevators. And I’m sorry, turnstiles won’t keep homeless out of the subway. They will either jump the turnstiles (if they don’t put in giant barriers), and they will just buy a ticket so they can stand in there all day and panhandle.
The turnstiles/barriers will cost tens of millions of dollars, and that is money that will only be PARTIALLY be made up by recaptured fares. You’ll never get 100% compliance.
Station monitors - great.
Entrance gates - I’m in favor. Not because they are cost-effective, but because they send a message to both passengers and criminals that they are entering an area where they are expected to behave.
In the train station, you are expected to have paid, and you should not be eating/drinking/doing other rude sh*t.
I know there are signs around saying these things. But for some people, you have to be really, really explicit about these things. The ignorance defense is a lot harder to make when there are turnstiles.
Gates don’t have to be cage-like. They just have to control the flow of people in and out of the station. I’m interested in how these turn out.
Quick! I’m in urgent need of finding out what LA’s #1 Party Station is!!?
; -]
I heard it was Classical KUSC. But I could be wrong. :P
The thing about Faregates preventing folks from urinating and causing problems is BS because in other cities with said gates folks will go to a dark corner and concealed area and do their business. Also in stopping crazy people that’s bunk too because the said crazy person has paid their fare they’ll feel intitled to do as they please, because they got past the gates.
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