Photos courtesy of Long Beach Transit.
Last week, Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna met with Long Beach Transit President and CEO, Kenneth McDonald to assess and discuss the daily transportation activity running along Anaheim St. and in downtown Long Beach. Instead of meeting in an overly air conditioned conference room in front of a Powerpoint presentation or taking an inconspicuous car to the scene, the meeting was held on one of LBT’s 40-foot-long red buses, a “mobile” meeting, if you will, that also involved those riding the bus on their daily commute.
In an effort to demonstrate that the Long Beach Police Department and LBT have the safety and security of the residents who use public transportation every day, or just occasionally, in mind, Chief Luna and McDonald’s ride-along turned out to be a productive “mobile” meeting. LBT has a service area that covers not only Long Beach, but 12 other neighboring cities, enabling commuters to go about their daily lives in an incredibly seamless manner.
“Making sure our streets and transit system are safe has to be a combined effort,” said Mr. McDonald in a statement. “The partnership we have with Chief Luna and the Long Beach Police Department is paramount to providing excellent service to our everyday customers and visitors traveling to our city. A safe travel experience on public transportation helps the local economy grow, and we all benefit from that.”
Chief Luna was able to garner a better understanding of the LBT system and how the transportation company’s security features, including trained LBT bus operators and supervisors and LBPD’s Transit Enforcement Detail work together to ensure the safety of commuters who use the system to travel to work, to school and recreational activities.
“We’re proud of our partnership with Long Beach Transit,” said Chief Luna in a statement. “Together we can provide riders with a safe and pleasant experience when they use public transportation in Long Beach.”
Also along for the ride were LBT Deputy CEO, Debra Johnson, LBT Executive Director and Vice President of Transit Service Delivery and Planning, Lee Burner, LBPD Deputy Chief Richard Rocchi and LBPD Sergeant, David Marander. Chief Luna and McDonald spent the majority of their time speaking with bus riders, many of which were students from Wilson High School. Yes, selfies were taken, but not before the Chief could discuss LBPD career opportunities with the exuberant pupils.
