Drive a mile in MTA’s shoes

Re “MTA is trying to shed some wait,” June 27

Before anyone issues a knee-jerk complaint about Metro buses being on time less than 70% of the time, ask yourself this:

* If you attempted to drive anywhere across L.A. and arrive within a predetermined five-minute window, could you do it better than 70% of the time? Not likely.

* How would my timeliness be if I had to stop my vehicle, rearrange a row of front seats, activate wheelchair lifts and anchors, and then repeat the process when each disabled rider gets off?

If Metro is serious about being on time more, hiring 10 more supervisors at $90,000 a year each isn’t the answer. Requiring everyday Metro employees -- especially managers -- to ride their own system to and from work at least a couple of days every week might be, though. Only then would they realize how difficult it is to be on time.

D.J. Fone

El Cajon

I really don’t see how adding 10 more supervisors is going to speed up bus service. The buses are stuck in the same traffic as everyone else. Unless they invent a bus that can hover over traffic, or create more dedicated bus-only lanes, the answer to more reliable, on-time public transportation service is building more rail.

Jim Bean

Los Angeles