Friday, June 14, 2024

Metro Ridership in Los Angeles Continues 18-Month Climb, Nearing Pre-Pandemic Levels

Los Angeles County’s Metro recorded more than 27 million boardings in May, marking the 18th consecutive month of year-over-year growth, officials reported in a statement on Friday.

The transit agency carried an average of 980,865 passengers each weekday, an 8.2 percent increase from May 2023, the statement said. Weekend ridership saw particularly strong gains, with Saturday boardings reaching 90.6 percent and Sunday boardings exceeding 101.5 percent of their levels from May 2019.

Officials attributed the weekend surge to numerous special events, including the Cruel World Music Festival and Just Like Heaven Music Festival in Pasadena, Pride celebrations, and professional soccer and baseball games.

“Metro is building the most ambitious transportation infrastructure program in the United States and is working to greatly improve mobility,” the agency said.

Rail ridership totaled 5,887,366 in May, with the A Line recording the highest number of boardings at 1,946,782, a 4.6 percent increase over April. The recently reconfigured A and E lines now exceed their pre-pandemic weekend ridership levels.

Metro buses carried more than 21 million passengers in May, a 9-percent increase over the previous year and an 87.4-percent recovery from May 2019. Weekday bus boardings were up 10.9 percent compared to May 2023.

The agency’s reduced-fare programs, such as the student GoPass and the Low-Income Fare is Easy (LIFE) initiative, have contributed to the ridership growth. In May, the GoPass program recorded 2,246,144 boardings, a 10 percent increase over the previous year.

As part of its three-point plan to improve public safety, Metro has also increased the presence of uniformed personnel on the system. The Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, and Long Beach Police Department have expanded their patrols on various rail lines.

Metro Transit Security has also surged its forces to enforce the agency’s Customer Code of Conduct on both buses and trains, with Bus Safety Teams performing end-of-line operations during late-night “Owl” service on some of the busiest bus lines, such as Lines 4, 20, and 720. Additionally, Metro Ambassadors recorded their 1 millionth customer interaction since their deployment in October 2022.