More benches and shade needed at LA Metro bus stops, survey finds
More benches and more shade are just a few things L.A. Metro riders want to see at bus stops, according to a new survey.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A survey conducted by Los Angeles Metro riders showed that there's a lot of room for improvement on buses and at stops.
The survey was conducted by Investing In Place, a nonprofit focusing on infrastructure and transit policy in Los Angeles.
According to the survey, 44% of riders said the buses don't arrive on time.
"I know which buses to take to get wherever I need to go and they're never on time," said Cheyenne Gutierrez, a regular Metro rider.
Nearly half of those who participated in the survey also reported a huge lack in cleanliness at bus stops.
They noted that at 65 bus stops throughout the city there is a lack of shade, whether it be trees or a shelter.
"Seventy-five percent of our bus stops don't have any shelter. Unless you're lucky enough to have a nice tree there," said Jessica Meaney, executive director of Investing In Place.
The survey also found that many bus stops throughout the city don't have benches, so riders have nowhere to sit while they wait.
"Even Metro studies show that half the trip for bus riders is waiting. So, we were really trying to amplify the conditions at the bus stop," Meaney said.
But a new transit shelter program is coming, led by the Bureau of Streets Services.
The Sidewalk and Transit Amenities Program or "STAP" will start Jan. 1, 2023. The city is seeking funding for it right now after L.A. City Council approved a key contract for the program Tuesday.
The goal is to add 3,000 shelters to bus stops along with other amenities. The STAP program will run for 10 years.
"We're probably going to start in the council districts where we have the highest need and then move on from there," said Lance Oishi, Contract Administrator for the Bureau of Street Services.
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