Glendale Beeline

Glendale Beeline to carry bicyclists free Glendale Beeline buses will offering free rides to people traveling with their bicycles from Monday to May 21, according to an announcement today from the city. The free ride program coincides with National Bike Month. All Glendale Beeline buses have mounted bike rakes, as do many bus stops. Glendale officials in recent months have been pursuing programs to increase bicycle use and safety throughout the city. ? Zarian to host mayors Former Glendale Mayor Rafi Manoukian, and current Mayor Ara Najarian, are scheduled to appear live Thursday on ?

Karen S. Kim GLENDALE -- About $300,000 of federal funding has been secured by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Glendale) to help support the popular Glendale Beeline shuttle bus service. The money will go toward purchasing a bus, which costs $325,000, and the city will pay the rest, officials said. "Anything to help expand and grow the Beeline, which is very popular, just helps us to deliver a better service to the citizens who come out and keep riding the bus more and more," said Mark Maloney, city supervisor of transportation and parking services.

Buck Wargo CITY HALL -- The transfer of Metropolitan Transportation Line 177 to the Glendale Beeline system linking Glendale and La Canada Flintridge is on schedule to happen in the summer. The Glendale City Council on Tuesday signed off on the transfer as part of a master plan approved by the city in September. The new Route 3 in the Glendale Beeline system will link the Glendale Galleria, Glendale Community College and Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Marianne Love GLENDALE -- The transfer of Metropolitan Transportation Line 177 to La Canada Flintridge and Glendale went off without a hitch. Now called Route 3, bus service takes riders from Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge to the Glendale Galleria as part of the Glendale Beeline system. Buses run every 30 minutes between the Glendale Galleria and JPL. Sections between the mall and Glendale Community College will offer service every 15 minutes.

Gretchen Hoffman Forgotten packages are an all-too-common occurrence on the Glendale Beeline, but the quick thinking -- and fast footwork -- of one driver thwarted a theft and returned a purse to his passenger. Glendale resident Darrin Wroten has only been on the job for seven months, but he's already earned the moniker of "hero" from his supervisor and co-workers. Wroten, 31, was driving his regular circuit -- Beeline Route 4 -- when a woman got off the bus at Chevy Chase Drive and Adams Street about 1:20 p.m. Tuesday, then got back on and asked him if he had seen her purse.

GLENDALE — Bus riders could soon see some major changes to Glendale Beeline routes — and pay 25 cents more for the ride. City officials have proposed to increase fares by 25 cents, change some bus service route intervals, add and extend bus routes for efficiency, discontinue the downtown to Glenoaks Canyon route and other stops, and discontinue the practice of accepting Metro passes and the “10-trip card.” The changes were suggested to control costs because sales tax revenue has dropped since the recession, hitting the system hard because it is not supported by the city’s general fund, Beeline Transit Manager Kathyrn Engel said at Tuesday’s Transportation and Parking Commission meeting.

ON THE AGENDA The following items will be considered at Tuesday's Glendale City Council meeting: LIBRARY GRANT The council will vote whether to appropriate a state grant to the Glendale Public Library. The library will be receiving a $5,000 grant administered by the California State Library using Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds. Funds will go toward books and general supplies. WHAT TO EXPECT Council will likely approve the appropriation.

Beeline to unveil new technology Tuesday SOUTHWEST GLENDALE -- The Glendale Beeline bus service will unveil new technology systems on Tuesday. The NextBus System will allow customers to receive real-time information on the bus locations and estimated times of arrival at specific stops. The Transit Priority System will improve on-time bus performance by providing buses with priority traffic signals when needed. Mayor Frank Quintero and representatives from NextBus will attend the debut ceremony.

Buck Wargo CITY HALL -- Glendale Councilman Sheldon Baker will serve as secretary on a proposed transit authority that provides bus service for the San Fernando Valley. The interim joint powers authority held its first meeting Monday at Glendale City Hall and representatives selected its officers. Baker had been chairman of the San Fernando Valley Transportation Zone Advisory Committee, the predecessor of the new interim board planning the creation of the bus authority.

Glendale Beeline bus riders will see fares increase over the next two years, along with possible service adjustments, as city officials work to stem significant operating losses. The first bump for Beeline fares to 75 cents from a quarter will kick in Oct. 1, and a final increase to $1.25 will take place July 1, 2013. Dial-A-Ride customers who currently pay $1 will be charged $1.25 and then $1.50 on the same timeline, according to the new rate structure approved by the City Council Tuesday on a 3 to 2 vote.

Glendale Beeline to carry bicyclists free Glendale Beeline buses will offering free rides to people traveling with their bicycles from Monday to May 21, according to an announcement today from the city. The free ride program coincides with National Bike Month. All Glendale Beeline buses have mounted bike rakes, as do many bus stops. Glendale officials in recent months have been pursuing programs to increase bicycle use and safety throughout the city. ? Zarian to host mayors Former Glendale Mayor Rafi Manoukian, and current Mayor Ara Najarian, are scheduled to appear live Thursday on ?

In response to Adrienne Boswell’s letter (“Marquee shouldn’t increase bus fares,” Jan. 8), I would like to make several points. First, while the new marquee system may seem “unnecessary” to you and me, it may prove beneficial to disabled citizens who may have difficulty seeing or hearing. Further, while some if not most bus drivers announce the stops, not all of them do. As a frequent Beeline patron, I can attest to that fact. What’s more, the marquee system relieves bus drivers of the burden of having to verbalize the same thing repeatedly all day every day; however, it might arguably be just as annoying for bus drivers to have to listen to the robotic voice all day long.

The Glendale Beeline is testing a marquee system very much like the MTA that shows the date and time of day and stop requested. This system also announces the upcoming stops, and greets new passengers when the door is opened. Unlike the MTA’s, the Beeline voice is female, and a bit more pleasant. So, now the Beeline fares are to be raised (“Beeline costs may transfer,” Oct. 1). Why? Are the new fares to pay for the marquee system? It is unnecessary; the drivers are very pleasant, usually greet you as you come on the bus, and call out the stops.

GLENDALE — Bus riders could soon see some major changes to Glendale Beeline routes — and pay 25 cents more for the ride. City officials have proposed to increase fares by 25 cents, change some bus service route intervals, add and extend bus routes for efficiency, discontinue the downtown to Glenoaks Canyon route and other stops, and discontinue the practice of accepting Metro passes and the “10-trip card.” The changes were suggested to control costs because sales tax revenue has dropped since the recession, hitting the system hard because it is not supported by the city’s general fund, Beeline Transit Manager Kathyrn Engel said at Tuesday’s Transportation and Parking Commission meeting.

GLENDALE — Teens seeking shelter or counseling for depression will be able to get assistance in the Glendale Galleria mall and from the police department starting this month. The Salvation Army’s Safe Place program, an active safety network, has teamed up with the Glendale police to house a Safe Place connection site at the police department and its Glendale Galleria substation, police Sgt. Oscar Rodriguez said. “Now, kids more and more in the community need access to people who care about them,” he said.

CROSSING GUARDS The City Council on Tuesday will consider approving a five-year, $1.14-million contract to provide crossing guard services to 25 Glendale elementary and middle schools. The current contract expires June 30. Crossing guards provide services at many intersections in school areas to enhance pedestrian safety for students. The contract would include a provision for two one-year extensions. WHAT TO EXPECT The council will likely approve the contract, considering it would go to the same company that currently provides the service.

Free Galleria, Americana shuttle The city of Glendale is running a temporary free downtown parking shuttle between city parking lots and downtown shopping destinations. The shuttle will run through June 29. The shuttle will run approximately every 15 minutes and will service the major city parking structures beginning at the Orange Street Garage, the stopping at the Glendale Exchange garage, the Marketplace garage and one stop serving both the Glendale Galleria and the Americana at Brand.

BURBANK — Public transportation money usually allocated to Los Angeles County could soon flow to Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena as the area considers forming a regional transportation alliance that would allow the three cities to apply for needed funds. The Burbank City Council is scheduled to consider the possible Arroyo Verdugo Transit Alliance at a future meeting and, though the issue has not yet come to the floors of the Pasadena and Glendale councils, officials in those cities support the proposal.