Javier Zazueta
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is like Las Vegas and life: it’s a game of luck.
You can win the million-dollar prize with the first pull of the slot machine, meet your soul mate in your dream job or get on an empty bus where you have the option of seating yourself as you please.
There is also the chance of losing half your investments in a hand of poker, getting run over after being fired or waiting half an hour to watch your bus pass you by because it had too many passengers.
It’s just my luck.
I have the privilege of not having to worry about gas prices unlike some students, but at the same time in order to arrive at my 6:45 a.m. class I have to leave my house around 5:40 a.m. to catch the bus.
There have been times when the bus has been really efficient and I’ve arrived at school at 6:15 a.m.
Then there are days like the one when I was 40 minutes late to my Monday night class because the bus was behind schedule half an hour.
Did I mention I had a test?
It’s just my luck.
The Orange Line has been a luxury for Pierce College and the San Fernando Valley. The 60-foot monster along with the rest of the Metro system can be a money saver.
Whenever I go to Santa Monica, I take the Orange Line to Van Nuys Boulevard, where I take the 761 Metro Rapid bus to Wilshire Boulevard and Westwood Boulevard and get on the 720 Rapid, which drops me off across the street from the pier.
Whenever I feel like hanging out with the stars in Hollywood, I take the Orange Line to North Hollywood; get on the Red Line and either get off at Hollywood/Highland or Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street.
Long Beach?
I take the Orange line, then the Red Line, get off at 7th street and Metro Center and take the Blue Line all the way to the end.
All these locations for the low fare of just $3 with the day pass.
Now, it seems that my luck might be running out.
The Metro’s Board of Directors plan to have a public hearing to discuss a possibility of a fare hike, which would begin as soon as July.
Metro officials want to increase the day passes $5 from today’s $3, monthly passes to $75 from $52 and student passes to $52.50 from $30 this semester.
A second stage of fare hikes is also intended in January 2009. The plan includes $8 for the day, $120 monthly and $84 for college students as well as boosting one-way trips to $2 from $1.25 from today. Gas prices are incredibly high, public transportation shouldn’t be.
The hearing will be tomorrow in the Metro Headquarters Building in Downtown L.A. at 9 a.m.
The Red Line has a direct stop at Cesar Chavez Avenue and Vignes Street.
Because, with those propose high prices it’s pretty lousy to have to sit next to a crying baby, loud-mouth-cell phone talker or a smelly drunk bum.
Then again for $3, it’s pretty nice to sit next to a hot young chica who is on her way to the beach.
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