PHOTO FEATURE:  You Go Girl!

Cast Your Vote for LADOT
The Downtown News is encouraging its readers to vote for their “Best of Downtown” choices from among nominees selected by newspaper.   While there are a large number of nominees within a number of categories to vote for, you don’t need to vote in every single category to make your vote count.  LADOT is listed in the “Best Services” category.
The on-line voting at www.votebestof.com opened closes on Sunday, May 31, 2015.  Let’s try to get as many people as possible to vote for DASH in the “Best Public Transportation” category.  The nominees are DASH, Metro Subway/Light rail, Metro bus and Regional Rail Services (Metrolink).  We were the runner-up last year – let’s be # 1 this year!

Stop, Look and Listen
Today, Fair Avenue Elementary School was one of many sites that participate in LADOT sponsored Safe Moves workshops.  Bicycle and Traffic Safety courses are given to approximately 175,000 students over the course of three years in both auditorium assemblies and interactive exercises that allow students to learn about safety by walking and bicycling through a miniature city called “Safe Moves City”. The ‘City’ consists of streets, sidewalks, intersections, crosswalks, traffic signals, traffic signs, residential areas, business districts, cars, trucks, buses and a railroad track with signals, crossing gate and train. It is designed to simulate the diverse traffic environments in Los Angeles and to create “problem solving” experiences for each grade level.  Safe Moves is a company contracted by LADOT to put on these types of events for lil’ Angelenos throughout the city.

CITYAGE: Build the Future
LADOT General Manager Seleta Reynolds will participate as a featured speaker at the Build the Future event: How we build — and rebuild — cities will shape the future. The number of people living in cities will increase from 3.8 billion to more than 6 billion by 2050. It means the business of city building will drive economic growth and innovation for a generation. That is the focus of this event. Her perspective as a panelist will guide this assembly of over 200 leaders from across the United States and around the world on May 28th & 29th.

dwell \on design\ LA: The Great Streets Debate
On Saturday, May 30, 2015, General Manager Seleta Reynolds, will participate in dwell \on design\ and discuss the “Great Streets Initiative” as well as its potential to guide Los Angeles into the 21st century. She will be joined with LA-Más director and co-founder Elizabeth Timme.  Together they will discuss what the future holds for L.A.’s streets and communities and how design will impact them.


LADOT’s Outstanding Performers
Members of the Transportation Committee along with LADOT General Manager Seleta Reynolds recognized Phan Vuong of the Temporary Sign Division and Barbara Porter of the East Valley District Office for their great efforts in providing excellent customer service and making our department a better place to work.

Phan Vuong consistently goes above and beyond her respective job duties to make Los Angeles streets safe for the public. Phan assists in processing a large volume of requests from FilmLA, DWP, Bureau of Streets Services, our Mayor’s Office and many more, processing 21,094 work orders with her team in this fiscal year to date. She has also gone to the extreme of working from home when needed, making work hours less hectic to process more requests, and better serve the City of Los Angeles. Phan’s dedication and professionalism make her essential to everyday operations.

Barbara Porter, Senior Clerk Typist at the East Valley District for 17 years splits her time between the East Valley and West Valley Districts when staff shortages arise. Each year, Barbara deals with over 10,000 phone calls, replies to more than 4,000 email requests, and logs and screens about 4,000 service requests. Barbara’s understanding of how the Department of Transportation operates makes her an asset to the city, and for callers with problems, she will know exactly who to refer them to if she can’t solve the problem herself. Barbara is always there to listen with a good ear, a big heart, and a desire to make the City of Los Angeles an even better place, one caller at a time.

Congratulations to both of these exemplary employees.

What We Do Series: LADOT’s Charter Bus Program
LADOT’s Charter Bus Program is designed to assist the most vulnerable Angeleno’s: our seniors, youth and disabled groups, with free or subsidized charter bus services to attend educational, recreational or cultural events within the region. Service is provided on coach, school and wheelchair accessible vehicles, and is available throughout the year on a first-come, first-served basis.
Supervising Transportation Planner Linda Evans leads the efforts to ensure that this program is both effective and efficient while Oliver Hou, Laura Downing and Mary Rodriguez round out the team.

Video: Core Values, Delivery – Charter Bus Program
How do seniors, children and disabled groups travel around Los Angeles to attend educational, recreational or cultural events at little to no cost on the city budget?  Watch as LADOT’s Charter Bus Program staff delivers excellent customer service by scheduling coaches, buses and wheelchair accessible vehicles for just this purpose.