Simply when Los Angeles’ long-suffering transit riders thought they’d seen all of it.
Not solely are town’s buses thought of unreliable, unsafe and riddled with drug customers, it appears they’ve additionally obtained a critical sanitation concern.
And it’s apparently obtained so dangerous town’s Division of Transport has been pressured to launch a video marketing campaign reminding passengers to attend till they’ve left the bus earlier than going to the bathroom.
The ”See One thing, Do One thing” marketing campaign reminds passengers to purchase a ticket, don’t smoke, drink… or ”poop” on the bus.
Whereas there’s no reference to taking a ‘primary’ on board, presumably that’s banned as nicely.
Notably, the marketing campaign seems to be housed on a standalone LADOT YouTube channel created final August and has not been extensively promoted throughout the company’s different social media platforms — an unusually quiet rollout for adverts aimed toward mass ridership.
How lengthy the spots have been operating on buses stays unclear. Different movies within the sequence embrace a “no consuming” advert that includes an over-served character and a “pay your fare” message.
Passengers say the advert runs constantly on loop, turning already tiresome journeys into an ordeal, as they’re bombarded with a unending public service video about appropriate bodily operate and rule-breaking.
The marketing campaign additionally urges riders to report misconduct ”instantly” and asks questions that sound extra like a police consumption type than a transit discover: What route are you using? What date and time did the incident happen? In case you really feel secure, document an outline of the individual.
LADOT’s personal code of conduct underscores the sorts of issues transit officers say they face every day — a blunt rulebook banning all the things from combating, spitting and fare-dodging to harassment, weapons and disruptive conduct. Bodily capabilities get particular point out: defecating, urinating or vomiting on board — and even intoxication prone to trigger it — can get riders kicked off or denied service altogether.
The California Publish requested LADOT about the price of the marketing campaign, what prompted it and whether or not it has produced outcomes.
Whereas LADOT didn’t reply, The Publish sought remark from Metro in a earlier story inspecting security and quality-of-life issues on buses and trains throughout Los Angeles.
Metro is the regional company protecting all of L.A. County, managing main rail traces and bus routes, whereas LADOT is targeted on the operating native DASH buses, Commuter Specific, and avenue providers simply within the metropolis.
Metro says it has taken steps to enhance security, reporting that violent crime dropped about 8% within the first 11 months of 2025 in contrast with 2024 and roughly 30% in contrast with 2023.
The company factors to a serious staffing surge, up about 40% in two years — together with more durable fare enforcement and a wave of safety upgrades.
These embrace greater than 400,000 fare inspections, 100,000 prepare boardings, taller gates, added fencing, expanded digital camera protection, Faucet-to-Exit techniques and pilot weapons-detection expertise.
Metro additionally says buyer satisfaction stands at 87% and encourages riders to report issues by way of its app, hotline or 911.
Nonetheless, Metro has been below sustained scrutiny over rider security, enforcement and quality-of-life points.
The blunt “See One thing, Do One thing” adverts seem restricted to LADOT automobiles and haven’t been rolled out throughout Metro’s system.
Nonetheless, pooping on LA buses has been a critical sufficient concern in recent times for Instagram web page, Individuals Of Metro LA, to make use of it as a logo highlighting points within the metropolis.
