Today launches, for the holiday season, at least, something I didn’t know dontown LA didn’t have.  Taxis that stop when you hail them:

This seems to fit right in with the late night Metro I wrote about earlier which I believe also starts today.

As a kick-off to the program, L.A. Live will be hosting a “Taxi Driver Appreciation” event on its plaza at 11am on December 8th to thank the drivers in advance for helping turn Downtown LA into a “real downtown” where you can hail a taxi.

So what makes a real downtown is being able to hail a taxi?

Interestingly enough, although signs up in downtown LA hail this hailing a taxi as new for the holiday, the LA Times announced a 6 month trial plan, um, six months ago:

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a six-month test program Wednesday that will allow taxicabs to pick up fares at more places in downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood. Here’s how downtown Councilwoman Jan Perry put it after the momentous vote: “Common sense has prevailed. Now we can hail a cab like they do in other cities.”

Yes, she was being sarcastic. Like others, she thought this was something the city should have done a long time ago.

The new rules allow taxis to stop for or drop off customers in red zones and curb lanes that the city has designated as anti-gridlock zones – as in, no parking there during rush hour. Cabs are also now allowed to double-park to pick up or drop off a client. The one place they’re not allowed to go is bus stops – something that has been a sticking point between the city and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for the last few months.

..

“The old rules that applied to taxis were the same ones that applied to private vehicles,” Rouse said, pointing to the fact that those rules pretty much prevent taxis from doing what taxis do best – pick up people looking for a ride.

So whatever happened to the trial program? Or is it beginning… now? Right… now? and… now?

Looks like all the pressure on El Coyote has paid off for LA local supporters of marriage equality, according to Frontiers magazine:

Christoffersen created a firestorm of controversy for the 77-year-old L.A. institution after local blogs broke the news she had donated $100 to the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign. Long a popular destination for the LGBT community for its cheap Mexican food and generous Margaritas, El Coyote found itself the target of boycotts and demonstrations after Christoffersen’s donation went public. In a press conference hosted by the restaurant days after the news of the donation broke, Christoffersen tried to explain her donation did not have to do with animus for gay and lesbian people, but was instead tied to her Mormon faith. Christoffersen did not apologize for the donation and did not indicate she would support any No on 8 organization. Boycott organizers and demonstrators were not impressed, and have argued online and in the local news media that Christoffersen’s support for the ban of same-sex marriage was reason to shun El Coyote.

Schoeppner said Christoffersen tended her resignation to her mother, Grace Salisbury, who is described on the El Coyote Web site as the “matriarch” of the restaurant. Salisbury’s sister-in-law founded El Coyote in 1931.

The Los Angeles Metro system is rearing for the holidays!

Late night subway connections until 3 AM from Union Station to North Hollywood and all points in between, plus DASH bus connections downtown.  So going to the Staples Center or the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion or LA Opera or downtown music and theatre just got that much easier for the holidays.

Red Line Late Night.