Santa Clarita Transit

This review is for Commuter Bus 799. I finally decided to try the alternative to the Metrolink, to lighten the burden on my wallet for the month. It ain’t bad, folks. Now, mind you, the bus schedule and stops just work very well for me, given my office location at the Transamerica building (just a quick DASH D ride away); but even so, it’s difficult to argue against saving $ 60 a month (Zone 5 EZ Transit Pass) and about a half hour each way. The key is to get on as late in the route as you can in the SCV, and get off as soon as you can in DTLA. The pitfalls: some buses can get very busy, especially the one that stops at Main & Temple at 5:07 p.m.; but even this is not an every time thing… buses are more pitchy than the train, especially in stop-​and-​go traffic, but I haven’t gotten car sick yet… friendliness of drivers can vary (but I’m used to that with the conductors on Metrolink)…and the last bus departs DTLA at @7:00 in the evening, so much less flexibility for after-​work fun (but even then I can grab a one-​way Metrolink ticket for $ 10 and still come out ahead). And this is a thing that’s up for judgement, but the riders are REALLY big on lining up in the exact same spot, every time. I got the stink eye one time when I was the first person at the stop (I make sure to look around me when I get there to make sure there is no one else for my particular bus) and because I didn’t start the line exactly where it usually starts about three feet away, a bunch of folks that got there way after me tried to push before me (and even the bus driver opted to stop in front of «the line»). In my viewpoint, if there is no line when I arrive, I am the line. So it’s a bit on the irritating end of whatever. But I think I can channel my B-​Zen and be cool with that, given the other benefits. I’ll probably continue for at least another month, and then re-​evaluate. But it’s looking promising.

Ive never had any problems on any of the SCV lines, with the exception of the 757, which really needs to get it’s act together. Don’t get me wrong; I value its existence. I just need them to get the story straight. After riding to and from LA to SCV on the 757 line using nothing but a loaded TAP card for MONTHS, one TAP reader on one bus happened to not register my card as valid. That particular route had some kind of supervisor riding along, who graciously informed me that TAP cards that were loaded in LA dont work on the SCV buses. Oh really? Because every time Ive ever ridden a SCV bus with a TAP card, it was using funds that were applied in LA (as opposed to one of the eleven locations in SCV).
Anyhow, I had sufficient cash, so I paid to ride. It only really occurred to me later what BS he was spewing, since the 757 boards in North Hollywood. And HEY! If that IS some kind of SCV Transit policy, way to go about making it public! Could this be part of the reason why so many 757 drivers are in such shitty moods all the time?
And today I learned a new SCV Transit secret: If you load a TAP card with funds, it may take up to 24 hours for those funds to show up on the card. WHAT??? ARE YOU JOKING???
This is not a problem anywhere but SCV Transit, and is downright laughable. But then again, what do you expect from a transit agency that doesn’t even EXIST according to Google Maps’ transit route plotter. C’mon SCV. We’re 14 years into the 21^st Century already!

How does one calculate a bus ride? Me thinks by looking at a map of bus routes, combined with time tables? Hmmmm. But today (the day that I need to ride the bus in order to retrieve my vehicle from the shop) there is no map available to look at. Just time tables. And I had to call in to find those, as any attempt to go to publicly available SCV Transit websites ends with a failed search. Also, attempts to download the offered android app to my phone result in App not found.
As I spoke to the Transit person on the phone, she assured me that the website is up, and maps are available. (I guess its just me.) Then she tried to explain how to ride the circuitous bus system to arrive at my destination. I’d say that information is pretty hard to follow without a map of the route.
Ee Gads! It will take about 2 hours to get there, if all the buses involved are on time. If I miss one, I could be traveling for the rest of the day! For God’s sake, I could get there faster by walking!
I noted that at the bus stops there is a QR code to tell you when the next bus is coming. However, the only information I could get was that there would not be a bus coming along for more than 30 minutes. REALLY? That’s all I get? How about just letting me know WHEN the bus would come along. I don’t really care about when it will not be there. Just when it is.
And how about a link to a map of routes from the bus stop? Or, here’s a novel idea, how about a map of routes POSTED at the bus stop?
As the transit person on the phone told me, Those signs are for people who are familiar with the bus system. Well, how convenient for them. But what about people who are not familiar with the bus system? How do they get familiar? I tried every resource at my disposal, and I’m convinced that the whole system, website, routes, benches to sit on, are all a big hoax.

This review is strictly for the Commuter bus to and from the SCV to Los Angeles. This review is NOT for the normal bus that traverses the Santa Clarita Valley.
I take the 799 bus (6:15AM and 3:30PM from Downtown LA). The fare (which will be increasing slightly later this year) is very reasonable. For $ 160 month ($ 4.25 one way) you have a seat that reclines, individual lighting and airconditioning above your head. The drivers on the current run are quick and professional (especially the 3:30 driver). We normally get to our stop in the SCV within 5 minutes or less of the scheduled time. Save yourself over $ 70/​month by NOT taking Metrolink.
One advantage: If there is train problems you are stuck. Some of the train tracks are a single set of tracks. A bus has a steering wheel and can take alternate transportation!
Lastly, avoid Tony the Turtle (driver). He is slow. I used to wait for the bus after his (first 799 bus in the morning) as it would sometimes pass him. He’s safe but very VERY slow. He also complains about the bus company and how he should be working MTA or another bus company. His comments are unprofessional regarding other passengers.

People bitch about how unreliable public transportation is? Really? You are in Los Angeles, what transportation «is» reliable. Granted, you aren’t happy, but until that finely tuned flying car of yours takes the air you should probably just be happy with the 757 commuter bus.
Bus drivers are people too; sad and lonely people, but people nonetheless. They aren’t their to be a free Dr Phil on your drive too and from work. They are there to drive a bus. And unless they jump a bus off the hw 14 turnoff you should be happy.
I love the commuter bus. It’s hands down the safest and cheapest transportation in LA county (outside of flying cars, obviously.)
Keep up the good work.

Until you get your act together, Santa Clarita Transit, I’m going to have to downgrade you to 2 stars.
Ever since the drivers changed their routes/​schedules a few months ago, things have been a mess on route 799 of the commuter express. The first two to three weeks of the change, we had a different driver almost every day. These drivers were not familiar with the route, they showed up late and they drove slow. Really slow. We seem to have a somewhat regular driver now, but even so, we still get different drivers at least once or twice a week.
One driver had to ask the passengers for directions and drove SO slow because she didn’t know where she was going and was afraid she would pass up where she needed to be. Another driver didn’t know how to turn on the air. Swear to god. She actually told me she didn’t know how to turn on the a/​c. Even though it’s not summer yet, a bus with about 50 people on it gets hot and stuffy. It wasn’t until we were almost at our destination that the driver figured out how to turn on the air. Come on Santa Clarita Transit, why are you sending out drivers that don’t even know how to work the bus?
This past Monday (⁴⁄₂₅) the folks at Santa Clarita Transit sent out a bus with a broken a/​c. Monday was pretty warm, so to cool off the bus, the escape hatch lid in the ceiling was removed. It didn’t do much to cool off the bus, but it was kind of neat to have a sunroof.
Our somewhat regular driver, Fu Manchu (I don’t know his real name, I just call him that in my head), has the personality of a rock. Just seems to totally hate what he’s doing and can barely say hi back to you. But he keeps the bus nice and air conditioned, unlike most drivers, so he gets points for that.
I pretty much take the same bus in the evening, so I don’t know how well things are working with the other buses on this route, but if the grumbling I heard behind me yesterday as we were waiting for our yet again LATE bus is any indication, pretty much all the buses on route 799 run late now.
I will say that the folks over at Santa Clarita Transit are very responsive when I e-​mail them with issues and they do a good job of resolving those issues. But all these different drivers and late buses are ridiculous.

I ride the 757 North Hollywood commuter express bus every Monday to Friday. It’s the cheapest way to get from the San Fernando valley to Santa Clarita. I know taking the Metrolink would be nicer, but it’s a little bit more expensive and this is the fastest and easiest way for me to get to work. $ 2.50 each way, and it’s best to get a TAP card and reload that at Santa Clarita’s City Hall. (I hate all of you slow MFers who take too long in putting your nickels and dimes and wrinkled dollars through the machine.)
I’d say 85% of the time it gets me there on time to work (the 7:07 AM departure), and 60% of the time it gets me back to NoHo (the 6:01 PM departure). The late afternoon/​early evening departures are very hit and miss because it depends on that annoying traffic on the 5 North coming back to Santa Clarita. I think it also depends on what buses they’re using– I’ve had the unfortunate luck recently when they used one of the old city buses (not the commuter one with the nice seats) and the bus’s engine was messing up and lights started flickering and we had to go to the shoulder of the freeway. Another bus was sent over and picked us up a half hour later, but oh well. I guess that happens when they use old junky buses?
Not a perfect public transportation line here but better than nothing.