LA Metro Records 11th Consecutive Month of Ridership Growth in Pasadena and the Region

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority said Monday it recorded a nearly 12 percent surge in system-wide boardings in October 2023 compared to the previous year. This marks the 11th successive month of year-over-year growth, the agency said in a statement. 

Metro reported over 26.5 million boardings in October. Its monthly bus and rail ridership has now reached 79 percent of pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

The increased focus on safety, a 43-percent decrease in crime since April, improved service reliability, and enhanced customer support, including the presence of more Metro Ambassadors to assist riders, were cited by Metro as contributing factors to the rising ridership.

On Saturdays, ridership reached 89 percent and Sundays reached 95 percent of pre-pandemic levels. The A (Blue) Line, connecting Azusa to Long Beach, registered a 9.5 percent month-over-month increase in ridership, while the E (Gold) Line, servicing East L.A. to Santa Monica, observed a seven-percent rise in the same period.

The K Line celebrated its first anniversary in October, witnessing a surge in ridership during the Taste of Soul festival, contributing to a 200-percent increase in boardings compared to the previous Saturday.

Sporting events, including college football and games involving the Rams and Chargers, also fueled increased weekend ridership.

Efforts to facilitate accessibility and affordability through reduced-price transit pass programs have also yielded positive outcomes. The student GoPass pilot program, offering free transit passes to K-12 and community college students, recorded nearly two million student boardings in October. 

Additionally, the Low-Income Fare is Easy (LIFE) program, serving nearly 300,000 enrolled individuals, provided more than 1.4 million boardings during the same month.

Metro is currently spearheading an ambitious transportation infrastructure program in the U.S., focusing on mobility improvements through its Vision 2028 Plan. The agency operates a fleet of 2,200 low-emission buses and six rail lines, facilitating over 950,000 daily boardings.

For more information about Metro’s fare programs, discounts, and transit services, visit metro.net/riding/fares/.

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For more information, call 323-GO-METRO or (323) 466-3976.