LAPassenger

LAPassenger Going Social

2009-08-27T15:03:00.000-07:00

LAPassenger continues to implement innovative, easy to use methods to keep our membership informed of Metrolink delays. We are looking for passengers who are interested in helping us develop services using the newest web services listed below.

- iPhone Web Applications
- Blackberry Web Applications
- Improved SMS/Text messaging services (we need suggestions on SMS providers)
- Online video production for new passenger instructional videos
- Online collaboration and groupware tools that facilitate real time communication
- Online discussion forum implementation

If you are a web professional, web hobbyist, video production student, or class instructor looking for a great project for your class, please contact LAPassenger by email or phone at (888) 545-TRAIN. No experience is needed, just the willingness to be part of a fun and useful project.

Chatsworth Metrolink Accident Anniversary

2009-08-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

Greetings LAPassenger.com members. LAPassenger continues to thrive as an online community of Metrolink passengers who collaborate to keep each other informed of delays, cancellations and other Metrolink alerts. The sense of community on our trains extends to the website, and I truly enjoy providing this service to all of you. However, I only provide the sand, its the passengers who make the sand castle by calling our toll free number 888-545-TRAIN, emailing us, text messaging us, or posting alerts from you iPhones and Blackberries right on our website using the P2P System.

As we approach the September 12th anniversary of the Chatsworth Metrolink train accident, we are reminded of those fellow passengers who lost their lives coming home on a Friday afternoon. For any passengers who have ideas or suggestions on how we can properly remember the victims, as well as support the survivors who continue to heal, LAPassenger will open our channels of communication to support the effort.

I invite any passengers with comments, suggestions or ideas to post a reply "comment" using the link below this article. You can post anonymously. You can also email your thoughts to LAPassenger using our email address on the homepage.

I will be attending the Metrolink Board of Director's meeting tomorrow morning at 10am as a way to stay informed of Metrolink matters. I have off erred my time and assistance to Metrolink should to need it in planning or facilitation of any memorial events.

Passenger-to-Passenger (P2P)

2009-01-31T20:59:00.000-08:00

The goal with the Passenger-to-Passenger (P2P) addition to the website is to give LAPassenger users the ability to post immediate delay information right on our homepage. A large number of our users carry Internet enabled cell phones and more consumers will switch to a smart phone for their next model.

There are two ways to use the P2P module, via the main homepage or via our mobile site. Depending on what type of phone you have, it may be difficult to view the regular homepage in your mobile web browser. If this is the case, I suggest you go to the mobile P2P page accessible at http://www.lapassenger.com/mobile.

If you would like to post a P2P alert from a regular desktop or laptop, use the P2P module on the homepage.

P2P messages do not automatically get emailed and distributed via text message to subscribers. P2P messages just get posted on the mobile and regular LAPassenger homepage. So please continue to call or email in your alerts to me for any delay greater than 15 minutes, so I can send out the information to your fellow passengers.

When posting a P2P alert, remember to include important information. This includes
1) Train line
2) Train number or numbers
3) Delay information including: Where is the train currently located relative to stations? Is it moving, stopped, or running slow? Length of delay in minutes?

Here are a few examples of good alert postings:
-Ventura train 104 just arrived at Moorpark 20 min late. Train now en route to Simi Valley.
-Ant. Valley 215 stopped between Glendale and Burbank Downtown. Mechanical issue. Will update when we start moving again.
-OC 606 just departed Union Station 9 min late.
-San Bern. 311 just struck debris between Upland and Montclair, train stopped, expect big delay. Will update when conductor gives us more information.

The LAPassenger.com website only provides the means for passengers to send and receive information. Its up to all our members to participate by posting alerts with P2P, emailing LAPassenger with updates, or by calling our toll free alert reporting phone number.

Enjoy!
Brian

Legal Information for Metrolink Train 111 Passengers

2008-10-06T20:25:00.000-07:00

Below is a letter from Carter Spohn, a LAPassenger member and daily passenger for ten years. I am posting this information for our members' benefit and I hope it will help those passengers and victim's families who are healing and grieving after the Metrolink Chatsworth accident.

=================
I reside in Claremont, California and commute to Century City where my office is located. I have been riding Metrolink, San Bernardino line for nearly ten years. The law firm I work for, Magana, Cathcart & McCarthy is located in Century City.

I have stated many times in church, that I have my church family, my office family and my train (Metrolink) family. Like church, we seem to be a creature of habit; we sit in the same seat, and become disappointed when it is not available. We learn about each other’s lives and come to appreciate our relationships of the people we spend one hour a day with, five days, a week, and fifty weeks a year.

We feel safe in our commuting environment and when that is threatened it tends to work on us. Much like 911 we go on with our lives, however, in the back of each one of our minds we have concerns. My boys asked me “why I was not going to discontinue riding Metrolink after the accident?” I explained, it is still safer than driving. I have noticed many riders no longer riding in the first car. And there are those that have an expression on their face of fear as they lift there leg to get on one more time praying that nothing will happen to them.

So our world, our sacred commute, has been interrupted.

I have been involved with lawyers and the legal profession for over twenty-five years. During that entire time I have never, nor has any member of my firm ever chased a case, advertised for business or pursued an accident victim. My law firm is one of the oldest plaintiff law firms in the state. And for over sixty years we have allowed the grieving process to go on and wait for a prospective client to contact us with their requests.

Please know that in my opinion, there is no reason to act quickly. Now is the time to grieve and spend time with family members and begin putting the pieces back together in your life. You do not and should not be making any decisions regarding your legal representation at this time.
To be clear; Metrolink is a Governmental entity, a formal claim must be presented within six months of the accident date.

Governmental Code section 945.5 provides “that no lawsuit for money or damages may be maintained against the governmental entity unless a formal claim has been presented to that entity and has been rejected either by action on the part of the entity or by the passage of time. The governmental entity has only 45 days within which to either accept or reject the claim. If it failed to act within the 45-day period, the claim is deemed rejected by operation of law. Once rejected, the claimant must file a lawsuit within six months after delivery or mailing of the notice of rejection."

Therefore, you have time to spend with loved ones as long as you file a claim within six months of the accident date. It is doubtful that Metrolink will honor any claims and offer settlements in short order.

I know many attorneys and law firms chasing your business would like you to believe that there is a need to sign up with them as soon as possible in order to protect your rights. However, you have time and there is no immediate hurry.

My firm has been handling mass transportation cases around the world for well over 45 years and we have chosen to wait until the client contacts us rather than come knocking on their door. In fact, years ago a federal judge instituted a rule prohibiting attorneys from contacting family members or of anyone injured in an aviation disaster until thirty days after the accident. Sounds like good advice to me.

I appreciate you contacting me and asking my opinions on this matter.

Carter P. Spohn
BUSINESS DIRECTOR
MAGANA, CATHCART & MCCARTHY
310.553.6630

October Member Newsletter

2008-10-03T07:24:00.001-07:00

Greetings to all LAPassenger.com members, both existing and the over 20% of you new members who have joined the largest online community of Metrolink passengers since September 1.

October Topics:
- LAPassenger celebrates a new membership milestone on our first anniversary
- LAPassenger welcomes our first sponsor
- Our community comes together during the Chatsworth tragedy
- Legal information for our members from a fellow passenger and transportation attorney

LAPassenger Celebrates Membership Milestone on our 1 Year Anniversary
LAPassenger welcomed its 1000th member in late September. Thanks to each of our members letting other passengers know about our free service, our membership continues to grow each day. For those of you who are new to our community, welcome! Add our toll free number to your cell phone contacts and our email address to your smartphones. When a train is 15 min late or more, all it takes is ONE phone call or email from you to alert hundreds down the line.

It was one year ago in October 2007 when my sister, Laurie, and I stood in the tunnels of Union Station handing out Emetrolink.com cards to morning passengers. 60 people signed up that day and soon after we received a letter from Metrolink expressing concern about the similarity in the name EMetrolink.com and Metrolink. So I changed our name to LAPassenger.com, and one year later, 60 members has grown to over 1000. LAPassenger.com is now the largest community of Metrolink passengers online. Thank you to all our members who continue to phone/email us alerts and let their fellow passengers know about LAPassenger.com

LAPassenger Welcomes Our First Sponsor, Luminary Photo
Luminary Photo, run by Dave Alton and his wife, offer special event photography. Dave is a daily passenger on the Ventura County line and a regular contributor to LAPassenger information network. I invite you to visit LuminaryPhoto.com and contact Dave for your photography needs. In order to keep LAPassenger a free service to our members, I have been seeking sponsors for our website and our emails. If you would like to sponsor LAPassenger, or know someone who would, please click on the Sponsor link on our homepage menu.

The LAPassenger.com Community Comes Together During Chatsworth Metrolink Tragedy
At 4:32 on September 12, I received a phone call alert about the terrible accident in Chatsworth. I was riding on the Ventura 113 train and my hands were shaking so much that my alert that went out to Ventura trains 113, 115, 117, 119 that night was short: "Serious Metrolink accident in Chatsworth. Seek alternative transport immediately."

I set up a chat room on our website by 6pm and many members logged on to share their thoughts, prayers, frustrations, and disbelief as they saw the horrific scene reported on over the weekend.

On Monday morning, those Ventura line passengers who chose to ride, reunited at the Chatsworth Depot. There were hugs as "train friends" reunited with each other and tears as some realized their friends were among the victims. Hundreds of passengers signed the two get well cards for our conductor Bob Hildebrand (see earlier blog posting for pictures of the cards). As the media cameras focused on these get well wishes, the message was clear, Metrolink passengers are a community, deeply saddened by the events of September 12th.

On Friday September 19th, many LAPassenger members and hundreds of others from the Chatsworth community joined in a candlelight vigil at the Chatsworth station, held at sunset. The event was organized by two Chatsworth teens and sponsored by the Chatsworth Chamber. Large candles with the names of each victim and 130 other votive candles were lit to wish the injured a speedy recovery. It was a time to remember the victims and also thank the First Responders who were also present for their service.

Legal Information for Passengers Involved in the Chatsworth Incident
Recently there has been an onslaught of legal ads targeting the victims and those injured on train 111. It is not my place to comment if litigation is appropriate, however our LAPassenger community benefits from the membership of experts in many fields, including legal. A daily passenger, Carter Spohn, agreed to give some tips and advice to those passengers and family who are coping with loss and injuries, while being assaulted by lawyers who may not be experienced in these matters. You can read Carter's informative letter to LAPassenger members on our blog. Go to our homepage and click the Blog/Discussion link.

Have a great October everyone. Welcome again to our many new members. Remember, LAPassenger alerts come from you! When you become aware of a late, stopped, or cancelled train, call our toll free number or send us an alert email. Its that simple!

Metrolink Passengers Return to the Trains and Wish Bob Well

2008-09-15T20:52:00.001-07:00

This morning I got up as early as I could, picked up the two get well cards I had made up for Bob Hildebrand, and headed straight to the Chatsworth Metrolink Station. I arrived about 6:15, just in time to see Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa board the 102 train into Los Angeles. I think it was a great sign of confidence in the Metrolink train, and I thank him for showing his support.

I set up the two large "get well" cards on a table outside the lobby entrance and immediately passengers began to come over and sign them, wishing Bob a speedy recovery. Many asked me about his condition, which I did not know specifically.

Once the Mayor had boarded the train, the media quickly turned their cameras to the two greeting cards, so I know that they were filmed by CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, and other international stations.

With each media crew that came by, I asked them to let the public also know about the donations we are collecting on LAPassenger.com to benefit the Chatsworth accident victims.

Bob, I hope that you see the images of these cards on television, and they make you smile, as there are hundreds of passengers wishing you a speedy recovery.

I spoke to a very kind reporter, Brian Watt from my favorite radio station, KPCC, the Los Angeles NPR station. Its so much easier speaking into a microphone than a live video camera.

The 104 and 106 passengers soon began to assemble, many coming in via the bus bridge from Moorpark and Simi Valley. It felt good to hug my "train friends" and see them doing well. I also got to meet many of the members of LAPassenger.com in person, and I appreciate everyone that finds the service valuable. The 104, 106 and finally the 108 trains all departed, each carrying hundreds of passengers. The normal load was definitely lighter than usual, but this can be expected as there was no bus bridge to Montalvo, Oxnard, or Camarillo.

As I was starting to pack up, the a CNN camera crew appeared and did a live shot, again focusing on the get well cards for Bob.

Finally, I met with Justino Águila, a writer from the Daily News. Justino and I spoke for a good 30 minutes about all facets of the Chatsworth accident, and I thanked him and his fellow newspaper writers who really deliver a more in depth and personal account of the stories. Over the past 2 days I have kept the graphic television accounts of the accident off in my house, choosing instead to printed news that is broader, detailed, and less visual.

Metrolink Passenger Community Unites

2008-09-12T21:32:00.000-07:00

September 12, 2008 - Chatsworth, CA - LAPassenger.com is the largest online community of Metrolink passengers. Each morning and afternoon we look forward to the familiar faces of our fellow passengers and Metrolink crewmembers, as we share our lives with each other on the trains. We are a community who rides, works, and socializes together for hours each day. We support Metrolink, as each day its hard working team gets us to the jobs that provide for our lives.

We have built a community on the trains and also online. We plan to come together as a community to help the victims and their families of Metrolink 111. But for tonight, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of 111, Metrolink staff, and the emergency crews on the ground and in the air who will work through the night.

Brian Buss, Founder of LAPassenger.com
Ventura County Line rider, train 113

Chatsworth Metrolink Train Accident

2008-09-12T19:17:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone, its a somber night here in Los Angeles. Metrolink Train 111 en-route outbound from Los Angeles toward Ventura collided with a frieght train in the Santa Susana pass tunnel area. I was on the 113 train which is less than 1 hour behind the 111. I received a call from a non-passenger friend just as I boarded on the train at Glendale. I quietly borrowed a laptop from a fellow passenger as mine had not booted yet, and sent an alert. I kept my voice low as to not alarm others, but soon the cell phones started buzzing with my alert and friends and family calling passengers on the train.

Finally at Van Nuys, the conductor mentioned the incident. First we held at Van Nuys, then we went to Northridge, where the train 113 finally stopped. My wife picked me up and I took a fellow passenger with us back to Moorpark.

I've set up a chat for people to check in with fellow passengers at:

http://www.lapassenger.com/chat/chat.html

Metrolink Train 104 Accident Recap - A Passenger Perspective

2008-09-02T12:11:00.000-07:00

This morning at 7:10am, Metrolink train 104 struck and killed a trespasser near Corbin Avenue in Northridge. Here are the events as they occurred with respect to LAPassenger.com members and community.

- 7:10am, I was on the 104 train and we were riding at regular speed on our way to Northridge Station. Debris sounds from the track were heard and the train came to a stop just East of Tampa Ave overpass.

- 7:13am, the conductor alerted us that there had been an incident, and she would update us as soon as information was available.

- 7:14am - I sent an alert to all 104 subscribers on LAPassenger.com who board at Northridge, Van Nuys, Burbank Airport, Downtown Burbank, and Glendale notifying them that the train was stopped. Passengers subscribed to the 104 alerts who board at Chatsworth and before did NOT get an alert, as they were already aware the train had stopped.

Image: Hundreds of 104 passengers

detrain @ Van Nuys

- 7:18am - An alert was sent to all 106 subscribers indicating that 104 had struck something and the long delays would undoubtedly effect the 106 train as well.

- Multiple phone calls came in to our hotline from LAPassenger members. Many of which I did not answer as I was busy sending alerts and on the train, but thank you for always leaving a Voicemail which I get sent to my email immediately. Always leave a message!

- 7:20am - KABC news emailed LAPassenger and mentioned possible pedestrian incident

- 7:28am - An LAPassenger member on the 106 train confirmed that their conductor said train 106 was going to Chatsworth and then stopping. No information was given to 106 passengers as to why.

- 7:52am - KABC news emailed LAPassenger confirming a pedestrian incident as confirmed by aircraft on the scene.

- 9:24am - Train 104 was released and traveled to Northridge station normally. Between Northridge and Van Nuys, 104 passengers were informed that we must get off at Van Nuys station and wait for another train. The train equipment involved in the incident was reporting straight to the maintenance yard.

- All passengers were de-trained in Van Nuys. A second train picked us up about 15 minutes later to resume normal stops.

Thank you to all the alert LAPassenger members who kept hundreds of other passengers informed. One call or email to LAPassenger.com makes all the difference. Please let your fellow passengers know about LAPassenger.com, signup is simple on our homepage. We are not run by Metrolink, but rely on passenger's on the scene uptdates to get us the fastest information available.

Thank you to our 104 engineer and crew for the job they do each morning, and especially the job they do keeping passengers safe and informed as possible during these unfortunate tradgedies.

Finally, while each of us eventually made it to our destination, and will return home tonight, there is one individual who will not. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family today.

Brian

CVS Gift Cards

2008-08-22T17:04:00.000-07:00

According to the Metrolink website, there is a special promotion starting August 25th. You can read about it here:
http://www.metrolinktrains.com/news/?id=2901

I'm not sure what a transfer coupon is, but the $25 CVS gift cards being given out caught my eye!

Brian

August Member Newsletter

2008-08-11T06:57:00.000-07:00

Hello LAPassenger Members,
The monthly newsletter skipped a few months as I've been busy with the growth of the site and a complete functional re-design. Thanks to a fellow passenger who is a programmer, members now have complete ownership of their profiles.

You can log in from the homepage and add/edit your email address(es), cell phone numbers, and train numbers. Including your primary login email, you can have alerts sent to a total of three email addresses and text messages sent to up to two cell phone numbers. Remember that in order to send you alerts, you must specify which train numbers you ride and which stations you board at. A complete profile is the only way to deliver you relevant alerts.

Celebrate Success
Thanks to the dilegent LAPassenger members who either called or emailed us the delay alerts, we've successfully sent many delay and cancellation alerts. A fatal accident involving Amtrak, followed by a ruptured gas main reaked havoc for OC passengers. Thanks to an early tip, our members were alerted to a full closure of the tracks that afternoon, allowing many of you to arrange for alternate transportation home. OC and IEOC line membership has grown since.

Our San Bernardino line alerts have improved thanks to a growth in membership on that line. Its the busiest line in the system so we are still looking for more members and we need more participation from San Bernardino line members.

Room for Improvement
Our alert network is not perfect. LAPassenger was not contacted recently on a Friday when the morning IEOC trains were cancelled entirely due to the investigation of a crime. We don't have many members on those lines YET. I am also looking to improve the alerts on the Antelope Valley line, so I'm asking all AVL members to get the word out about LAPassenger and be sure to phone in or email alerts when delays occur.

Participation is Key
LAPassenger has over 800 members. Almost all of the most heavily used inbound AM trains and outbound PM trains, have an LAPassenger member on board. All it takes is one phone call to our hotline to alert hundreds of passengers of train delays or cancellations. Here is how you can make LAPassenger's network even more effective:
1) Program 888-545-TRAIN into your cell phone under LAPassenger, so you always have the number if you need it. If you have a mobile email device, program our email address into your contact list under LAPassenger.
2) Invite all your fellow passengers to join. When you meet a first time rider, invite them to join as well. Invite those passengers who board at stations earlier than yours to join, as the sooner the alert is initiated, the earlier it will arrive to your cell phone or PDA.
3) Call us or email us anytime your train is late, stopped, or broken down for more than 15 minutes over schedule.

Community Assistance
In order to keep LAPassenger a free service, we are seeking sponsors. If you operate or know friends who operate a business, website, or service and would like to help support the growing LAPassenger community, please have them email me. Our page generates over 2600 page views each month. We have created a sponsor information package on the website under the Sponsor link on the menu.

If you have a skill that you would like to donate to improve LAPassenger, please contact me as well. I am always interested in any assistance with web-design, promotion, media exposure, graphic design, and PHP/MySQL programming. Any members that are willing to pass out some wallet sized promotional cards to fellow passengers can also contact me, and I will mail some to you.

Thank You
Thank you to everyone who has written with positive feedback about how LAPassenger has saved you time. Just keep calling the hotline or emailing us when a train is delayed or stopped, and we'll keep our members informed.

Van Nuys Metrolink Accident Re-Cap

2008-07-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Below is the sequence of events from Wednesday's incident. Thank you to multiple members who quickly alerted LAPassenger of the issue. I recognize that many people were on the train already, but members down the line and on the 108 and 110 trains were at least aware of what was going on.

Timeline
-Approximately 8:00 AM, Metrolink 106 strikes a trespasser near Van Nuys.
-8:02 AM, an LAPassenger member onboard the 106 called LAPassenger to alert us that the train had stopped for an unknown reason.
-8:06AM another 106 passenger emailed LAPassenger to alert us that the train had stopped for an unknown reason.
-8:10AM - Alert sent to all passengers subscribed to the 106 line whose boarding station (home station) is Burbank Airport, Downtown Burbank, or Glendale.
- 8:20 AM - two seperate emails came in to LAPassenger from members on the 106 indicating that a trespasser had been struck.
- 8:45 AM - LAPassenger sent an update alert to all 106, 108, 110 members informing them that there was a police incident and there would be significant delays.
- About 10:30, the 106 passengers were transferred to other transportation means.

TEXT Message Issues
Some passengers have reported that they did not receive their TEXT messages until later in the day, and this seems to isolated to AT&T cellular customers. I personally have a Blackberry with AT&T and a Sprint cell phone. The Sprint account received the alert immediately, and my AT&T Blackberry got the text message hours later.

All other email, mobile emails, and TEXT messages went out readily.

Reimbursement from Metrolink
This delay will not be reimbursed by Metrolink as it was due to "police activity". Essentially the cause of the delay was outside the responsiblity of Metrolink.

How can we improve?
If you experienced any issues, or have any feedback or suggestions, please email me! Please be as specific as possible with the trouble you are experiencing.

Brian

Metrolink Discounts

2008-07-18T17:05:00.000-07:00

Attention Metrolink passengers who reside in the City of Diamond Bar, did you know that you can receive a 20% discount on your Metrolink tickets. According to the City of Diamond bar website, "residents are eligible to receive a 20 percent subsidy on transit passes, which may be purchased at City Hall". If anyone has used this discount, please comment on the ease of use or any conditions.

Also, if anyone else is aware of any other municipality that offers similar discounts or programs, please send an email to LAPassenger so we can investigate it!

For information about the City of Diamond Bar discounts, please visit:

http://www.ci.diamond-bar.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=496

IEOC and OC cancellations

2008-07-18T09:27:00.000-07:00

This morning an accident forced the closure of tracks between San Bernardino and Downtown Riverside stations. Multiple Metrolink trains on the IEOC and OC lines were cancelled. LAPassenger did not receive any notification and as a result I was unable to send out any alerts to our members on the associated trains.

This is exactly the situation for which LAPassenger members can help each other out. One phone call to 888-545-TRAIN or an email from your Blackberry to us and the notification process begins. Even if you don't know any details, we can start to investigate the issue.

Why not take a moment to confirm our toll free number 888-545-TRAIN (8724) is stored in your cell phone under "LAPassenger" now.

Also, we only have a very small percentage of members currently on these trains, just 7% of our members. All riders on the IEOC lines and OC lines are encouraged to let your fellow passengers know about the LAPassenger community. The more members who are ridding the trains, the faster the news travels in the event of a delay or cancellation. Our network grows each day, however we rely on the word of mouth of our current members to help us grow. Be sure and invite those passengers who board at early stations to join, as they are often the first to become aware of a delay.

Brian
LAPassenger.com

New Website - How to Edit Your Own Profile

2008-06-26T20:09:00.000-07:00

Well in response to your repeated requests, passengers are now in full control of their LAPassenger profiles.

To login, go to the login box in the left corner of the homepage. Just enter your username on the homepage (which is your primary email address) and your password. Fo members who joined prior to this week, your default password is your priamry email address. Once logged into your profile, be sure to change your password to something unique.

Those of you who signed up in the past few days received an initial password in the welcome email. Once logged into your profile, be sure to change your password to something unique.

Once logged in, you can now:

Edit your primary contact email, which is your username as well
Edit your mobile email (great for those of you with Blackberries and iPhones)
Enter a secondary email address to receive alerts on
Enter up to two cell phone numbers (and carrier companies) that you want to receive TXT message alerts on
Edit your home and work stations
Edit your train numbers
Edit your weekly ride frequency
Change your password

If you have questions, please contact me.

San Bernardino 312,314,316 Delays

2008-06-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

San Bernardino trains were significantly delayed this week near El Monte. The actual cause is reported by Metrolink as "Police activity at station or along tracks" together with a reason of
"POSS TRK VANDALISM AHEAD" which meanse possible track vandalism. Its unclear if Metrolink will consider these delays as reimbursable. 312 and 314 were delayed more than 60 minutes, while 316 was just under at 51 minutes.

If these delays are determined to be eligible for reimbursement, I will let subscribers to the 312,314 trains know immediately via email.

LAPassenger in the News

2008-05-24T17:56:00.001-07:00

Running a website on my own means I don't have the luxury of a large PR department. However, thanks to our member passengers telling their fellow riders, LAPassenger has grown to be the largest online community of Metrolink passengers. The majority of our growth is through referrals, however I want to also acknowledge the local media outlets who have also been so kind to give the site a mention.

Los Angeles Times:
November 13, 2007 http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/emeraldcity/2007/11/metrolink-gets-.html

Ventura County Star:
March 28, 2008: http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/mar/28/metrolink-likely-to-raise-fares-rising-costs/

CNBC: http://www.cnbc.com/id/25353023
June 24, 2008 - Jane Wells boarded at Moorpark, rode to downtown, caught the Red Line to Universal City but concluded that the time/cost benefit was not in favor of the train. Someone should have told her via the Burbank station their is an easier way! But she was kind enough to mention LAPassenger.com in her blog.

LAWeekly:
May 24, 2008 http://www.laweekly.com/news/news/metrolink-tries-to-censor-bloggers/18960/ Apparently Metrolink scared me into changing the domain name from EMetrolink.com to LAPassenger.com. Ha! Some LAPassenger members joined when we were called TeleTrains.com. I've been known to change my mind.

If there are any members of LAPassenger who work for media outlets, and I know there are, I'd appreciate any mentions or exposure your organization can offer.

Ventura 106 Reimbursements

2008-05-01T09:10:00.000-07:00

The reimbursement requests for Ventura train 106 are now available on http://www.lapassenger.com/reimbursement.php due to its cancellation in Oxnard today.

Reimbursements come from Metrolink, not LAPassenger. Passengers report that it may take up to 6 weeks to receive your reimbursement. If you wish to know the status of your reimbursement, please contact Metrolink (www.MetrolinkTrains.com). Unfortunately, LAPassenger cannot provide you with the status of your reimbursement as we don't issue them.

Blackberry = slow

2008-05-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

This morning on the Ventura line, the 106 broke down in Oxnard. We received no less than 5 emails and phone calls into LAPassenger starting at 7:09 (GREAT!). Alerts went out at 7:15 to 106 passengers. Records show the message alerts were properly sent to every passenger, including those who own cheap mobile phones.

Here is the interesting part...text messaged alerts were received seconds later. Some LAPassenger subscribers with Blackberry email devices received the alerts almost 15 minutes later at 7:30. Obviously, we want our alerts to reach you quickly. This is not the first time we've seen a delay with mobile email devices.

What to do? We will query our database of members and contact those members who do not currently have TEXT message alerts chosen as an option. If you wish to add the text message alert option to your profile, simply reply to the email with the requested mobile number and carrier name (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, etc).

Note, you are responsible for text message fees charged by your carrier depending on your contract. LAPassenger does not charge any premiums to receive text message alerts.

Metrolink Fare Increases Made Official

2008-04-30T20:02:00.000-07:00

During Friday's Metrolink Board meeting, the Board voted to increase fares system wide by 5.5%. The new prices will be effective on July 1, 2008. To see what price you will pay after July 1, 2008, please click on the following link. Note, the file that this link points to is quite large (9 MB) and requires Microsoft Excel to open.

http://www.metrolinktrains.com/documents/news_updates/PropFaresOnlyJuly200855Increase.xls

April 29th Delay Reimbursement

2008-04-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

It looks like I took the wrong day to go on vacation! Tuesday the 29th was a frustrating day for passengers on the Riverside, IEOC, and OC lines. The 706 train was cancelled in Buena Park when its engine died, resulting in the delay of 6 other trains. Unfortunately when an alert LAPassenger member called from the 706 line to report the delay on his train, I was driving back down the I-5 from a weekend vacation to Yosemite with my family and did not have access to my laptop.

Thank you to Passenger Dave for calling 888-545-TRAINx1 as soon as he became aware of the delay on the Riverside 706.

I apologize for not sending out the delay. However, those of you delayed by the Riverside 706 line or the Orange County 604 line yesterday, you are entitled to a reimbursement. Please visit our reimbursement page http://www.lapassenger.com/reimbursement.php. The OC #604 was delayed 60 minutes as a result of the 706, according to Metrolink's daily report.

Reimbursements come from Metrolink, not LAPassenger. Passengers report that it may take up to 6 weeks to receive your reimbursement. If you wish to know the status of your reimbursement, please contact Metrolink (www.MetrolinkTrains.com). Unfortunately, LAPassenger cannot provide you with the status of your reimbursement as we don't issue them.

As always, please let your fellow passengers know about LAPassenger.com. Always call 888-545-TRAIN when you become aware of a delay of more than 15 minutes. Thank you, and I'll see you on the Metrolink!

Brian

Fare Increases

2008-03-30T19:49:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, Metrolink has proposed a 3.5-7.5% fare increase that would take effect in July 2008. Link to Ventura County Star Article: http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/mar/28/metrolink-likely-to-raise-fares-rising-costs/

The reasons that Metrolink gives include the escalating cost of diesel fuel, scheduled increases in costs for operating services contracts and new start-up costs related to the arrival of additional passenger cars in 2009. There is also a mention of "potential reductions in service" but there has been no additional details on what if any service reductions could take place.

I attended the Metrolink Board of Directors meeting on Friday March 27th. The discussion of the increase focused mainly on the increased fuel costs. The proposed fare increases would have been higher were it not for the planning of the Metrolink Board who purchased fuel in advance at previously negotiated prices (fuel hedging).

The board is also anticipating the arrival of new passenger cars in 2009 which will help alleviate the crowded situation on some current Metrolink lines.

Riding the train is a beneficial budget leveler for regular passengers. It is impossible to tell where unleaded gas prices will be come July 1, 2008, however last year the average Los Angeles gallon of unleaded cost $3.04. If we use today's average of $3.59/gallon in Los Angeles as a predictor of July's price, that is a 15.3% increase in one year. So Metrolink's proposed increase is at least less than what it would have cost you to get back into your car.

Its unfortunate however that increased fare revenue can only partially be returned in the form of better service. I'd gladly pay an increased ticket price in return for improved service such as and additional car on my train, expanded weekend services, on-board Wi-Fi, or other passenger perks.

What are your thoughts on the fare increases?

March Member Update

2008-03-16T21:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome New Members
First, a kind welcome to our hundreds of new members. LAPassenger's growth is mainly attributed to the referrals of passengers tellling other passengers about the service. As current members know, the more members LAPassenger has, the faster and more reliable the alerts become as we will have more people out there initiating alerts via our toll free number or email address. The most important members are those that board at early stations, so when you see a passenger who boards before you, be sure and invite them to sign up at LAPassenger.com.

Name Change
Our name and website have officially changed from EMetrolink.com to LAPassenger.com. As some members who wrote me suspected, this was due to a friendly request by SCRRA, Operators of Metrolink, who was concerned about the potential confusion of EMetrolink being a service of SCRRA. The Metrolink Board of directors in fact is supportive of LAPassenger.com which I will discuss in more detail below.

Reimbursement Requests
Any train that arrives at its final destination more than 60 minutes late is considered to have experienced an "extensive" delay, after which passengers are entitled to a reimbursement. LAPassenger has made it simple to request this reimbursement when you are subjected to an extensive delay. Simply go to http://www.lapassenger.com/, and click on "Delay Reimbursements" link from the menu. LAPassenger will try to keep an updated list of all delays that exceeded 60 minutes, but feel free to send an email if you don't see a particular delay you experienced listed. Remember, extensive delays are defined as those exceeding 60 minutes, and there are some exclusions. For example, delays caused by nature or by police and fire activity are not covered by this policy as they are outside the control of Metrolink.

Problems and Troubleshooting
Occasionally members ask me why they did not receive an alert when their train was late. There are a few reasons for this:

1) You do not have your cell phone on file with us so we can send you a text message
Solution: Email LAPassenger your cell phone number and carrier (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, etc) and we will update your profile.

2) Your cell phone is on file, but you or your cell phone company have your account preferences set to block incoming text messages
Solution: Contact your cell phone provider customer service number and request to be able to receive incoming text messages.

3) Your cell phone account does not include receiving incoming text messages
Solution: Contact your cell provider's customer service number. Ensure that your phone model is capable of receiving incoming text messages. Undoubtedly they will try and sell you a $5-10 add on to your cell phone package which includes a block of a 100 or more incoming/outgoing text messages each month, but you do not need this. Typically without a text message plan, incoming text messages cost less than 20 cents, so unless you plan on receiving or sending many each month, it is not worth buying the add on. Just pay the "per-message" amount.

4) You have not specified which train numbers you ride on in your LAPassenger profile
Solution: We routinely notify members who fall into this category. During the first few hours of our website's operation back in October, a computer bug did not store this information when passengers signed up, so we apologize for asking you this information twice.

5) Nobody contacted LAPassenger to report the delay, so we are not aware of the issue.
Solution: This is the most common reason you did not get notified. Over 55% of our members ride the Ventura and Antelope Valley lines. These members enjoy earlier alerts that arrive in time to consider alternative transportation. The remaining 45% of members are split between San Bernardino, Riverside, 91, Orange County and IEOC lines. Some of the most heavily used trains have the fewest LAPassenger subscribers. Most passengers on these trains are not aware of our service. The best remedy to solving this is to continue to refer other passengers to sign up with LAPassenger. Each new member becomes a potential tipster.

Metrolink Board Supports LAPassenger
Some of you may be wondering what Metrolink thinks of LAPassenger. The Metrolink board of directors supports LAPassenger's efforts to improve the passenger experience. I recently had the pleasure of having lunch with Brian Humphrey, SCRRA Board of Directors Alternate, and Commissioner of the Ventura County Transportation Commission. Mr. Humphrey is also a Firefighter/Specialist and Public Service Officer with the Los Angeles Fire Department. Brian recalled how during the Orange County fires, the LAFD used social networking, internet alerts and Twitter to access first person accounts of hotspots and the location of the remote fires. He agrees that first-person passenger generated alerts are an effective way to communicate delays to the wider audience. Mr. Humphrey also took time to understand my concerns and advice as a daily Metrolink passenger. I look forward to working with the SCRRA Board to improve the Metrolink experience as it continues its rapid expansion.

Get Involved
If you would like to help LAPassenger become a timely, accurate, and trusted method to keep passengers informed, take the time now to program our toll free number, 888-545-TRAIN (8724) into your cell phone and our email address into your mobile device, and let us know whenever your train fails to show on time, breaks down, or is involved in some other type of delay. We depend on passenger generated information, so we need your help!

January Member Update

2008-01-16T19:44:00.000-08:00

Dear EMetrolink Subscribers,
EMetrolink continues to grow thanks to the strong word of mouth from passenger to passenger. Our membership has more than doubled since my last communication to 247 members, with more signing up each day.

Now its time to officially kick off the service. Some train lines have already received some "beta test" alerts of late trains.

WHAT DO I DO IF MY TRAIN IS LATE?
A) Use your mobile device to send an email to email@emetrolink.com with the delay information. Most importantly include your train number. Also include how many minutes the train is currently late, and any other information you have. Its that simple.

OR...

B) Call us toll free at 888-545-TRAIN. Tell us which train is late, and any other information you know about the delay, and we will alert your fellow passengers.

WHICH TRAINS DOES EMETROLINK COVER?
Please go to our website, www.EMetrolink.com and click on the menu link "EMetrolink Member Count". Please view this page with a regular computer (not iPhone compatible). The list that appears shows how many EMetrolink members are subscribed for each train number. We've excluded weekend trains and most mid-day trains. We focus on "inbound" (toward Union Station) morning trains, and "outbound" afternoon lines which are the most heavily travelled. If you do not see your train number listed it is because there are no EMetrolink members (or very few) currently riding that train.

Our heaviest concentration is the Antelope Valley line, Ventura County, and 91 Lines. If you are a rider on the other lines, forward this email to other passengers and encourage them to sign up. The San Bernardino line has the highest number of trains, with thousands of passengers, yet has the lowest participation currently on EMetrolink. Come on SB Line riders! The more EMetrolink members on your train, the better the delay alert system will work!

TEXT Messaging
Most members are still using a regular cell phone as opposed to a mobile device like a Blackberry. I've received many questions as to how a standard phone can receive a message as a TEXT message. Here is what you do:

##########@txt.att.net (AT&T)
##########@vtext.com (Verizon)
##########@messaging.sprintpcs.com (Sprint)
##########@tmomail.net (T-Mobile)

The above addresses are the email addresses, depending on your carrier, that you would send an email to which would then come in as a Text message to your phone. Simply put your 10-digit cell phone number in the front (no dashes or spaces). There is a limit, depending on your carrier, on how many letters a text message can be, so keep the message short. Go ahead and try it! Note, unless you purchase a TEXT message plan from your carrier, there may be a small per-message charge. Please contact your cell phone company for details. These addresses should all work, unless you have specified that you do not wish to receive text messages.

If you have not added your TEXT message email to your EMetrolink profile, be sure and email us at email@emetrolink.com with your TEXT address, and we'll update your profile so alerts go right to your cell phone.

Thank you for your participation and for using EMetrolink. A special thank you to the members who have already started sending alert messages to fellow passengers. Do not hesitate to email questions, suggestions, or feedback on how EMetrolink can improve.

Tell a fellow passenger about EMetrolink today!