On the importance of revising, and following, checklists (SOPs)

Back in 2015-2016 I had an office in Pasadena. Parking at the local Metro station was free, parking in Pasadena was expensive, I hate traffic, and I was yearning for my days of living in Brussels, so I took the trains. I knew those trains. When they hit, when they stopped running.

Today heading to Anaheim, I did things the way I've always done. Expo (only now it's the E) line from the westside to 7th Street / Metro Center. Downstairs to pick up the red or purple (sorry, B or D line) to Union Station. And that worked. But, it was more stressful than it needed to be.

If I'd checked the various apps, I would have seen that what used to be the Blue Line is now the A line, and it connects to the Gold Line tracks now: "The A Line's current Azusa–Long Beach service commenced in June 2023 with the completion of the project, incorporating the Union Station–Pasadena–Azusa portion of the L Line." (Source)

Had I checked the "current SOP" I would have gotten to Union Station in time to grab Starbucks, instead of spiking my heart rate to 134 hustling to make sure I got on the 7:10 Amtrak up on Platform 11B. (Boarded with 4 minutes to spare.)

Procedures change. We refine them as we go, too, learning what works, what doesn't, what's efficient, what's not. Time to actually read The Checklist Manifesto.

E Line train arriving