Shuttle Services

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday chose Laidlaw Transit to run a neighborhood shuttle bus service in the eastern San Fernando Valley, with no discussion of the company's controversial record. By an 11-0 vote, the city approved a three-year contract with Laidlaw that will cost $1.6 million for the first year and more than $720,000 in subsequent years.

Sales tax revenues will fall by about 9% for the agency that provides rides for more than 1,000 elderly and disabled Burbank residents for the fiscal year beginning July 1, and transportation officials are studying ways to cut costs. "We've been told to expect a reduction," said G. William Lundgren, transportation administrator in Burbank's city planning department. State funds to the city of Burbank provided $866,000 for the special transportation programs this year.

The Los Angeles City Council has earmarked an additional $500,000 for a new noontime shuttle bus service for workers and shoppers in Warner Center and the continuation of an existing commuter bus program to that regional center. The council action Wednesday will partly fund a $1-million, three-year bus contract to be awarded soon by the city.

A bus company, Ventura County Airporter & Shuttle, has announced park-and-ride service between the Doubletree Hotel in Ventura and Los Angeles International Airport. The service, scheduled to start Nov. 15, offers free parking in the hotel's parking structure. Transportation to and from LAX will be offered seven days a week, with one stop at Oxnard Airport, said Susan Crespi, president of the transportation company. She said buses will leave the hotel seven times daily.

A free lunchtime shuttle service connecting the Burbank Media District and the Magnolia Park area operated for the last time Wednesday due to low ridership and dwindling tax dollars to pay for it, Burbank city officials said. The Burbank City Council voted June 9 to cancel the $195,000-a-year demonstration project after a survey found that it was used by an average of only 66 riders per day, Burbank Administrative Analyst Deborah McMurray said.

The city is taking steps to free up more parking along Main Street by starting free shuttle service and extending the hours of operation for parking meters. The changes encourage Main Street retail employees to use a beach parking lot to open up spaces for shoppers and tourists, said planning manager Karen Ginsberg. The shuttle, which will run between the parking lot south of the pier and the corner of Ocean Park Boulevard and Ashland Avenue, will begin July 3 and end Labor Day weekend.

Oscar Campa doesn't like bumming rides from friends and family, but he has found that it's the most cost-efficient way to get to work. "Riding a bus would take too long and taking a taxicab would cost too much," said Campa, a Huntington Park resident who works as a home mortgage lending executive in Commerce. A taxi would cost about $20 each way. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority soon will offer a cheaper alternative for Campa and other Southeast-area commuters.

It's time to get on the bus. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation will launch its Smart Shuttle service in the northeast Valley today, offering riders flexible schedules and destinations. Transportation officials, Los Angeles City Council members and state Assembly members will be on hand at 9 a.m. for the shuttle's inaugural run from the Metrolink commuter rail station at 2100 Frank Modugno Drive at Hubbard Street.

Contemporary was the buzzword Tuesday as Glendale's new logo for its Beeline shuttle service was unveiled. The picture of a no-nonsense, red-, yellow- and blue-colored bee will replace the cute, smiling yellow- and brown-colored insect on wheels that had previously served as mascot for the 9-year-old bus operation. "We've tried to use more contemporary colors that are being used on transit vehicles today," said Jano Baghdanian, the city's traffic and transportation administrator.