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ChineseMetro Goes Pepsi
[tags]metro, macarthur park, red line, subway, pepsi, vending machine[/tags]
This may be old news for some, but I don’t hit up MacArthur Park as often as I should. Yesterday I had to go to the Home Depot in the area so I hopped on the Red Line and as I left the MacArthur Park station I saw what can only be called a vending machine. Lit from within and glowing blue, it was a Pepsi machine like any other, but in a place traditionally void of such amenities. It looks like Metro is continuing to expand into more traditional rapid transit mainstays like advertising and now vending machines. Ironically however, food and drinks are not allowed on Metro trains or platforms. Metro’s answer to that conundrum and more pix after the jump…
Discussion
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Please keep discussions civil: exercise Troll Controll.
Dumbest. Idea. Ever.
They want to have their cake - er Pepsi - and not drink it too. Or something like that.
I say flood every station with vending machines, kiosks, Starbucks/Coffee Bean, or Jamba Juice (and others), charge them all rent or collect a portion of their sales and use that revenue to clean the trains, platforms, provide security, etc.
If it wouldn’t be enough revenue to cover buses as well, at least allowing it on the train could help. Jeez.
Yes, I did a double-take when spotting these machines as well. Talk about the MTA wanting to have it both ways!
I wonder if you could call it entrapment if you get fined for drinking a Pepsi on the platform?
On the one hand, I don’t mind the MTA getting revenue from selling Pepsis, or from fining people who violate the rules. On the other hand, I don’t mind the MTA keeping the trains clean and food-free. But it does seem that they are at cross-purposes.
What kills me is that I see people eating/drinking on the Gold and/or Red Lines every single weekday, and I’ve never seen anyone get ticketed for it. Grrr.
There is a Pepsi machine at the North Hollywood Red Line station for a month or two. I’ve only seen one person purchase something. I can’t imagine people in a rush to connect between the Red Line and Orange Line stopping to buy a drink they can’t enjoy along their journey, hence it gets warm too. the NoHo station already has street vendors selling food and sodas that you can enjoy immediately after purchasing since it’s outside the station.
Most transit agencies have very firm rules regarding food/drink on their system, including both the vehicles and the boarding platforms.
The reason is very simple: doing everything possible to keep down the cockroach population, along with other vermin, such as rats (not generally a problem on buses, but can be in certain situations) and ants.
There are exceptions, such as MBTA, which DOES allow such vendors (not vending machines, but actual people) and DOES allow food on its rail vehicles. There are other rail systems, such as Metra, which have such vending situations, but do NOT (well, at least not officially) allow food and drink on the vehicles.
If this sounds like not a big deal, than I suggest you talk to anyone in the vehicle maintenance business who has had to try to cope with this issue. Keep in mind that there are some very, VERY tough restrictions on what chemicals you can use for vermin control in transit systems.
Also, let’s face it, food and drink do create messes, and can actually be hazardous, such as on a moving vehicle which makes a quick stop with some idiot with a hot drink not sealed — and there are many other variations.
The stickers were added after I started asking why we (Metro) had made such a seemingly boneheaded move.
And they (our legal people) tell me that the presence of the sticker does protect us from entrapment charges if someone buys a soda and then drinks it on the platform at the station.
I am also told we are considering a modification of the policy to allow water to be consumed on trains and in stations, so maybe that will boost sales of Aquafina from the Pepsi machines …
Kym, the obvious follow-up:
Why not just sell Aquafina only?
I was thinking the same thing, my friend … but I don’t believe Metro controls what is stocked in those machines.
I understood the other reason for eliminating vendors was to prevent loitering. If a person in the train area doesn’t get on a train going up the line, or down the line, he/she can be asked to leave as there is no other reason to be there.
The idea is to keep the subway from becoming a homeless shelter.
“Officer, I’m here drinking my coffee and that’s why I’m not getting on the train.”
As I heard when the subway was built here anyway.
…and besides, then you’d be besieged by the “bottled water is teh evil” crowd.
For further Metro beverage irony, check out Metro’s online store, where you can buy Metro-branded water bottles and commuter mugs.
(That “and besides” was meant to refer to the question “why not sell Aquafina only?”.
One of these days, I’ll remember to quote the post I’m replying to.)
I bet that commuter mug doesn’t even let you remove the system map to peruse it. Think about how functional that would be.
Actually, one big system allows you to bring and eat food and drink all the time. It’s the New York City subway (and buses too).
I think Metro could raise some money and help the environment by permitting the use of Authority travel mugs on board, similar to what the Santa Clara VTA does.