L.A. will appeal court order to U.S. high court

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has voted to take its beef with a federal consent decree to the U.S. Supreme Court. Under the decree, the MTA must improve service to its customers by putting hundreds more buses in service and meeting specific requirements, such as load factor goals. The authority has battled the decree in the courts since it was negotiated in 1996. L.A. Mayor James Hahn said he was disappointed by the MTA board's decision. The agency should stop its appeals and focus on providing the service required by the consent decree, Hahn said.