Los Angeles Metro riders are getting a brief respite from fares today, thanks to the power grid's inability to keep up with Mother Nature's forceful hand. Chair of the Metro Board of Directors Janice Hahn has made the call to suspend the usual tap-and-go system across the board, effective for the entire day. This move comes as a silver lining for many Angelenos struggling with sporadic power outages and the relentless wind and wildfires besetting the region.
With transit systems often falling victim to blame during crises for their service disruptions, today Metro earns itself some goodwill. Caught in wind-induced power outages, the light-rail and bus operator adapts, still rolling on its tracks and wheels through Los Angeles' sprawled geography of need. In a statement obtained by govdelivery.com, Hahn announced, "Given the extraordinary demands on the power grid and sporadic outages in numerous areas, it is difficult for many of our customers to buy and load their TAP cards at stations. To ensure that people can get to their loved ones, I have authorized Metro to suspend fare collection systemwide for the rest of the day."
Metro encourages riders to use social media as a beacon for up-to-the-minute service updates, with details on the unusual day's transit operations flowing in a digital stream of consciousness. While fare gates stand unguarded, they serve as a symbolic gesture that Los Angeles, for a day, hopes to ride above the fray.
