LA Metro Celebrates National Dump the Pump Day

This morning, Metro CEO Phil Washington and Metrolink Board Chair and Orange County Supervisor Shawn Nelson welcomed Southern California commuters to “dump the pump.” The press event featured a motorcycle officer serving ceremonial divorce papers to a car. The divorcing a car theme is reminiscent of the title of a recommended 2000 book by Katie Alvord. Divorcing one’s car, according to American Public Transit Association (APTA) figures for Los Angeles, will save a car commuter nearly $13,000 each year in “auto-mony.”

Washington emphasized that while driving is promoted as being associated with freedom, the reality differs from the image. Nelson emphasized that riding transit avoids the “white knuckle” stress of driving, and instead gives commuters time to read, text, or just spend pleasant time alone.

Dump the Pump Day is a national initiative of the APTA, the national trade organization where Washington currently serves as chair of the Executive Committee. In a conversation with Streetsblog L.A., the Metro CEO emphasized the importance of APTA in bringing transit agencies together to meet industry challenges. Washington expressed enthusiasm for APTA’s recent strategic plan to respond to five key mega-trends: safety/security, funding, demographic shifts, workforce development, and technological innovation.