This video is one of a series that appear in the http://www.youtube.com/user/transportationequity YouTube site of the Transportation Equity Network – TEN – a project of the Gamaliel Foundation, a faith-based organization with regional affiliates around the United States and 350+ member organizations. For details go to http://www.transportationequity.org.
Additional background is available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transportation_Equity_Network.
A particular concern of this program is in providing improved conditions of transport to work, school, health and social services, above all for minority groups, poorer people and the unemployed.
Most of those being interviewed are very angry with their government, and not optimistic that their call will be heard.
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Examining the Prospects for Equity-Based Transportation 
For an alternative view on the Bus Drivers’, er, “Riders'” Union please visit:
http://transit-insider.org/master.html?http://transit-insider.org/bru/index.htm
http://thetransitcoalition.us/BRUtruth.htm
http://publictransport.about.com/b/2011/03/21/bus-riders-union-what-might-have-been.htm
BTW, Downtown Burbank has frequent service from Metrolink Commuter Rail:
http://www.metrolinktrains.com/schedules/line_station/name/Burbank-Bob%20Hope%20Airport/service_id/1145/stop_id/86.html
also during the peak, the City of Burbank’s BurbankBus runs from the northern terminus of the LA Metro Red Line Subway to both the Empire District of Burbank and the “Media District”:
http://www.burbankbus.org/index.aspx?page=885
http://www.burbankbus.org/index.aspx?page=888
BRU of Los Angeles sole goal is to preserve single seat bus-only rides and the staffing that requires.
Thank you. It would be good to have a measured commentary on these references and the central theme behind them. Also do these challenges apply also for the TEN program that sponsored the events behind these videos? Kind thanks.
The increased ability for potential users to get information on how to use the various systems in their region (Los Angeles has too many), through smartphones and the internet is key. Ms. McMillan was probably never given the information of the other options for getting to Burbank as they are not *operated* by Los Angeles Metro (LACMTA).
The bus is a tool in a mode toolbox that has its place and purpose. But when you illogically favor one mode over another like the Los Angeles BRU does, you are providing no benefit to the users of a system that, because of the immense geographical area, needs to get its customers across long distances quickly and efficiently; but you do employ more bus drivers and bus mechanics while ensuring that transit remains a mode-choice of last resort. Ride the trains in Los Angeles and you will see a diverse ridership there too, except that unlike buses they are moveling rapidly and not stuck in traffic. I think Jarrett Walker summerizes the issue succinctly in his analysis of the potential elimination of LA Metro’s 305 bus:
http://www.humantransit.org/2011/07/los-angeles-deleting-some-lines-can-be-fair.html