The Critics of Buses Are Uninformed

* Re “A Dismaying Month on Public Transit,” Aug. 2:

As a driver for the Orange County Transportation Authority, I must take exception to Dana Reed’s criticism of our bus system here in Orange County.

I drive the 57 line, which Reed complains about. He states that we should have a system in which to contact other buses that we have connections for.

If given enough time in advance, we can call radio and have them hold another bus for three minutes. If we are pulling in behind a connecting bus we can flash our high beams or honk. Again, that’s if we are informed that someone wants to catch that bus. Sometimes passengers don’t let us know in time to help.

Maybe if Reed would plan ahead he could catch a earlier bus to be on time to catch the 43 bus. The 57 line runs every eight minutes most of the day.

Reed is incorrect to say we have no buses to take him to the train station. The 69 line goes by there, from the Santa Ana Transit Terminal, on a regular basis. Reed would do well to read our “Bus Book” and plan his trips in advance, instead of expecting others to make his trips perfect without any effort on his part.

CLARK FARRELL

Laguna Woods

* Dana Reed thinks other officials occasionally should use public transportation. I agree with that idea.

I think each Orange County Transportation Authority director should use the authority’s fixed-route bus service seven days in a row every three months.

That way they can see how the riders in Orange County are served. Maybe there would be better and more fixed-route bus service that is badly needed in Orange County.

GARY MUDGE

Garden Grove