German
Spanish
French
Italian
Portuguese
Japanese
Korean
Russian
ChineseThe Elusive Compton Renaissance Transit System
Image courtesy of donielle.
After living in Compton for over a month now and seeing those white buses come and go and not being able to figure out where they went or the fare nor schedule, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I had previously tried to contact the city of Compton for such information and I was told to call 1.800.COMMUTE. When I told them that I was more interested in something in a written format, if perhaps they could mail me something like MTA and most other agencies do, I was told they did not do that. I was told the best I could do was to ask a bus driver for a schedule. How was I suppose to do that when I had no idea of the schedule or route.
Now I know they have a new shopping center that has a Target, Best Buy, Home Depot among other retailers, I decided to check out the MTA Trip Planner to find out if it was possible to get there taking the elusive white bus. It told me to get the route 2 bus on the NE corner of Alondra and Wilmington which could take me to the MLK Transit Center across the street from the Compton Blue Line Station. Upon arrival there, I was to get the route 4 which would drop me off in the corner of Santa Fe and Greenleaf, one block from the Shopping Center.
When I boarded the bus I did not know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. The bus was clean and the driver was friendly and helpful. I was told however that drivers did not carry schedules at the time being. I was told they had run out. They are given a certain amount each year, if I wanted a bus schedule I could try City Hall which is where they get them from themselves.
When I got off at the MLK Transit Center. I walked to City Hall and asked if they had literature on the Renaissance and they did. I came back to the transit center only to realize that they are not very punctual, comparing the actual arrival times with the schedule I just picked up. Nothing new there. Guess all agencies are the same.
I got on the next bus going towards the Target. About ten minutes later I arrived at the designated corner. I got off and started walking towards the store. I must add, the whole shopping center, which is located in the corner of Alameda and Greenleaf, is really nice. Compton should be proud of it.
Now, a note about the service. It runs Monday-Saturday (no Sunday service) from 7:30- 3:00.
The fare is .50, with transfers .10 (but was told in the bus is .25)
Since there is no online information on the Renaissance and more than likely you will not be able to get anything unless you go to City Hall, I scanned the entire booklet and here it is:
Discussion
You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
Please keep discussions civil: exercise Troll Controll.
Nice color brochure there. They should have made it B&W and printed 10x as many for the same $$!
yup. plus given the fact one of the drivers told me people just throw them away. and here I was desperately looking for one. but then again you see lots of mta schedules around in the street as well.
Of couse, if the gate between the Artesia Blue Line Station and the Crystal Casino and Hotel was still open, passengers could walk directly to the new Gateway Center. But nothing can be simple in the MTA’s world.
wow… dedication roge. this is awesome!
thanks for using my picture.
this is a neat blog. my boyfriend reads it and recognized my picture.
Yup. Now the closest MTA bus servicing it is the 202 but only runs Mon-Fri during rush hour, no midday or week-end service.
Aside from the Compton 4, the MTA 202 previously stated, the other options are the 130 and 60 getting off at Santa Fe and Artesia and walking it, which is not that far but that;s not the point.
Thanks Tyke
nice pic. it sure beats the scan I took from the brochure
Donald Stanwood:
To be fair, was that really the MTA’s “fault”, or the Crystal Casino’s? (I had heard that they had a lot of problems with commuters parking in the casino lot and taking up space from customers….)
rogedog92: Yes, it is my understanding that the Crystal Casino closed the gate. Parking problems could be a reason, although I never saw any unusual cluster of cars around the station. My guess is that the Casino came to view the gate as a source of “trouble”, the same sort of worries, rightly or wringly, that keep NIMBYs up nights.
Welcome to Compton.
Hey I am still dubious. If I get on the blue line in the Compton Station could I get off on the Artesia station and go to the new shopping center walking? I live in Compton and think that our local transit system(white buses)is just a joke compare to other cities local public transit system. I think the city should do more to expand or create other routes. I move to Compton, a year-ago and as a new resident of Compton. I think creating a route from MLK Transit Center to Compton College would be awesome or a route that runs from the west side of the city to the east side. Although, its cheap;we could have a better transit system.
Hey Jose.
I will agree with you that compared to other cities the Compton service still lacks. However, compared to yet other cities, Compton has it’s own 5 line transit system. Depending on what time you are going to the shopping center, MTA line 202 services it with a stop at Greenleaf and Alameda. I haven’t been in it lately because I started work in the Valley and I take the MTA and my bike, however the other day I did see a Compton bus make a right turn on the corner of Greenleaf to Alameda, perhaps they have updated theyir service. They do have bus service to Compton College and also a crosstown route as well. I have lived here in Compton for the past 4 months and I see the good, the bad and the ugly. I do believe it has an image problem due to some realities but for the most part I think is more on the collective minds of people when they think of Compton, negative images come up. I see this place as a place that little by little is taking baby steps towards becoming a progressive welcoming place. I agree with you they could do better but for the time being I see it becoming a better place. Oh and the walk is not that bad either. I always walk more than that or just bike if it’s really far.
Thank You.
I agree with you, that Compton is going to change. We should get more involve in the community. Living here for a short amount of time, I have seen numerous great changes in Compton since I first purchase my condo in Compton. I moved from the valley(Toluca Lake) to Compton.I have a uncle who lived in Compton in the mid 1980s trough the mid 1990s and he said before it was horrible. It was a highly dangerous city to walk or to lived in. He said that comparing Compton right now to the early 1990s, Compton is paradise. Yes, I totally agree with you, we have the good,bad and ugly things in Compton. Anyways, thank you. Yes, walking to the new shopping center is not a bad idea. I could use a little exercise. LOL
I’m going to try and ride the Compton Bus this weekend to see what it’s like. I want to see if I can spend a day hanging out in the neighborhood using local transit. I wished we had a book store here, but I suppose I can find something to read at Gateway between Target, Best Buy and Home Depot. I also wish that the Jamba Juice or the Friday’s was open already, but I’ve hung out at both the new Wing Stop and Panda Express…it was cool, but I need more. We just need a little more to do here in the city.
Yes, thats what I have seen that the lack of entertainment takes many of our youth to gangs and drugs. But thinking about Compton is not as bad to be a ghetto. I took my friend to South LA, last week and that place is really horrible. I was happy that I live in Compton. I did a little research and they are opening a book store in Rosecrans with an auditorium next year. Hey, I encourage you to read the local newspaper; thecomptonbulletin.com. Also, I am very excited with the new state-of-the art senior center they are going to built in the city of Compton. Ok. Tell me how is it? Hopefully, its better than the MTA with friendlier drivers.
Hi Chryshel… just a lil note, the bus only runs Mon-Sat. And yes you are right, would be cool if they had a bookstore but I guess they’ll open one next year (thanks Jose)
Right before I started working in the Valley again, I took the Compton bus at least 4 or 5 times and I can’t speak for the other drivers but the one I had for the route by my house (Alondra/Wilmington) the lady was real nice and friendly. And I was pleasantly surprised to find the bus I got on (again, I can’t speak for the other buses, routes or bus drivers) was real clean and welcoming.
Ahhh and the Wing Stop is da bomb!!! Try the Atomic wings… (if you dare, lol) They are hot though… but right up my alley.
Hope you have a pleasant week-end riding the Elusive Compton Bus System!
Thanks for posting the schedules, Rogedog 92! For some reason the city has never posted them on its website (or I think even mention on it they have a transit system). Very odd.
Elusive is a kind word for the Compton system. I used to help research the Transit Guide SO.CA.TA publishes and found Compton one of the hardest cities to get any information from in re their transit system (another hard one was Lynwood and its trolley). And I am still purplexed why CRTS stops running at 3 p.m. Maybe the dial a ride gobbles up most of the local return funds?
In 2004 SO.CA.TA did one of its study tours of the Compton and Carson systems, and my trip report is posted on its website:
http://www.socata.net/ccx0804.html
Member Armando Avalos is the champion at acquiring schedules from obscure transit systems. He tells me in his experience the best way to get them is to go to the local city hall; usually the receptionist or some staffer has a supply of them to hand out to residents.