BUS RIDERS ON LOOK OUT : PASSENGERS REPORT TRANSIT PROBLEMS.

Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby Daily News Staff Writer

Terry Prather and Glenda Zaccardo board the bus every day looking for trouble. If they spot a late bus, surly driver or even sit in an uncomfortable seat Santa Clarita Transit hears about it - and that's exactly what the company wants.

The two are part of a new ``commuter ambassador'' program in which passengers serve as liaisons between riders and transit officials, reporting problems that crop up on commuter lines from Santa Clarita to Los Angeles, Woodland Hills and Van Nuys.

``It's been wonderful,'' said Canyon Country resident Stella Barragan, one of 17 ambassadors who ferret out trouble on Routes 796, 798 and 799. ``I see results.''

Santa Clarita Transit started the program two weeks ago after receiving numerous passenger complaints about bus breakdowns, faulty air conditioning and heating systems and poorly maintained seats.

The problems began after new contractor ATC/Vancom took over the transit company's San Fernando and Antelope valley lines in early September. To alleviate the problems, the agency placed a bus at Warner Center in case of breakdowns and placed mechanics on 12-hour shifts until all maintenance problems are resolved. It also hired a full-time air-conditioning and heating specialist.

The customer service program is the latest attempt to assuage customers' complaints. Under the program, ambassadors volunteer their time in exchange for free monthly bus passes. Armed with forms, they take note of the buses' timeliness and cleanliness as well as the drivers' attitudes and possible safety hazards, such as properly parking buses so they're not projecting into the street. The ambassadors submit their reports each week to Jeff O'Keefe, general manager of ATC/Vancom. They also have the phone numbers of other top officials who can respond immediately to complaints.

``It's putting the customer into the heart of the operation,'' O'Keefe said. ``It allows me to hold my staff accountable and make sure my customers' problems are addressed.''

Passengers said they notice a difference already.

``People are taking notice of improvements,'' Route 796 passenger Graham Harrity said, citing properly functioning air conditioning and heating systems and more comfortable seats.

``The heating and air conditioning seems to be getting better,'' said Michael Hunt, a Canyon Country resident who regularly rides Route 796 to Woodland Hills.

O'Keefe said he plans to add ambassadors to other commuter lines if the pilot program is successful. He also will rotate the liaisons every three to six months.

Despite the program's initial blush of success, the company's problems are far from over, passengers and transit officials said.

``We need more buses,'' Barragan said. ``If we have breakdowns, there's not that many buses to replace them.''

Bus seats also need repair and while the heating and air-conditioning systems work, they don't always operate at the appropriate times, some customers said.

``The AC works now. Sometimes too good,'' Route 796 passenger Dave Atkinson deadpanned.

On the plus side, passengers said the customer service program provides a sympathetic and immediate ear for their problems.

``It's nice to know someone will report it to the right authorities,'' Route 796 passenger Margo Miller said. ``Hopefully they'll compile the data and fix it.''

``A lot of people feel more comfortable talking to someone they know rather than talking to a city bureaucrat,'' Atkinson said. ``It lends credibility to the complaints. You feel your complaints can get to the right people.''

Prather makes sure the company gets an earful. Each day the Saugus resident boards the 5:34 a.m. bus to Woodland Hills at the Santa Clarita Metrolink station where she chats with the operations manager, informing him of ``hot'' issues like the need to pull buses up to the curb, out of the way of passing cars. The next day, she said, the transit company issued a memo about the problem to its drivers.

``I think it's good,'' Prather said of the program. ``Rather than listen to their employees, they get it from actual paying customers.''

Ambassadors said they serve as the ``eyes and ears'' of the bus drivers, allowing them to concentrate on their jobs.

``Rather than everyone yelling at the bus driver, they can yell at us,'' Prather said. ``We're trying to form a relationship with the driver so everyone's not dumping on him.''

Ambassadors said they joined the program out of frustration and the need to volunteer their time to a worthwhile cause.

``I don't want to lose ridership and lose the service,'' Prather said. ``I wanted to get involved.''

``We talked every day about problems,'' Zaccardo said. ``It was so ridiculous, this was a perfect chance to get involved.''

She said the program has given her a different perspective of the challenges facing the bus company but she remains adamant that the problems be fixed within a reasonable time frame.

``I'm somewhat sympathetic about their growing pains,'' she said. ``But at the same time, I want action. This commuter program guarantees we're going to get action and reaction.''