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Enhanced Safety, Cleanliness, Reliability, Service Frequency Driving Ridership Increases
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) today announced that the agency saw a 9.4 percent increase in total system ridership in February 2024 compared to February 2023 with more than 23 million boardings. February 2024 marked the 15th consecutive month of year-over-year ridership growth.
In February 2024, Metro had 23,031,303 boardings on its bus and rail services. An average of 872,167 rides were taken each weekday with Saturday boardings averaging 662,561 and Sunday boardings averaging 516,388. Metro’s February bus and rail ridership combined was at 80.8 percent of its February 2019 pre-pandemic level. Average weekend ridership in February was 97.2 percent of pre-pandemic (February 2019) levels and average February weekday ridership was 73.8 percent of its February 2019 pre-pandemic level.
Ridership continues to grow after the 2023 launch of Metro’s human-centric, multilayered approach to safety, improved cleanliness, improved reliability and frequency of service as well as fully restored bus service.
Bus Ridership
Metro bus ridership saw a 10.6 percent year-over-year increase over February 2023. More than 18 million (18,073,168) rides were taken on Metro buses, with total bus ridership in February 2024 at 86.5 percent of its pre-pandemic (February 2019) level. Metro recorded an average of 688,956 bus boardings on weekdays in February, an average of 514,337 boardings on Saturdays and an average of 386,936 boardings on Sundays.
Rail Ridership
February 2024 marked the ninth month of operation for the newly reconfigured A and E Lines. The A Line, which serves customers from Azusa to Long Beach, saw 1,642,226 boardings. The E Line welcomed 1,057,112 users travelling on the line that services East L.A. to Santa Monica. The B/D subway lines saw the largest number of rail boardings during the month with 1,727,895 trips taken. Ridership on the A/E Lines combined was 2,699,338 during the month signaling riders are benefiting from the new Regional Connector A/E Line stations for more convenient one seat rides to and from downtown LA.
Leisure Travelers
Weekends continue to show the greatest ridership recovery as leisure travelers are increasingly turning to Metro. Average boardings on Saturdays reached 98.4 percent of February 2019 levels and on Sundays during the month average boardings reached 95.5 percent of February 2019 levels.
During February, weekend activities such as the Skyline LA music and art festival at Grand Park, the Firecracker Run and Festival in Chinatown, CicLAvia Melrose, and sporting events such as Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) versus the Seattle Sounders at Exposition Park all welcomed riders to the system boosting weekend ridership recovery.
Fare Programs
Metro continues to provide programs that make riding more affordable for everyone. The agency’s reduced-price transit pass programs, such as the student GoPass pilot program, which offers free transit passes to K-12 and community college students, and its Low-Income Fare is Easy (LIFE) program, which provides free rides and reduced fares to low-income customers, are helping those who need it most.
In February, the GoPass Pilot Program saw 1,708,763 total boardings versus 1,459,167
in February 2023, a 17 percent increase. The LIFE Program observed a 20 percent increase in February ridership with 1,337,033 boardings compared to 1,075,678 in February 2023.
Metro’s fare capping policy provides riders who pay with a TAP card a set fare of no more $5 a day or $18 over seven days. Once they’ve reached those limits, they ride free for the remainder of the day or seven-day period.
And Metro’s Mobility Wallet Pilot Program gives in-need Angelenos the freedom to choose the mode that best suits their travel requirements by providing a debit card with $150 per month to spend on transportation. The card can be used to take the bus, ride the train, use bike share, take Metro-Micro and much more.
Information on all Metro’s reduced fare programs, including discounts for seniors, persons with disabilities and college students can be found at: metro.net/riding/fares/
About Metro
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is building the most ambitious transportation infrastructure program in the United States and is working to greatly improve mobility through its Vision 2028 Plan. Metro is the lead transportation planning and funding agency for L.A. County and carries nearly 900,000 boardings daily on six electric rail lines and 117 bus routes utilizing more than 2,200 low-emission buses.
Stay informed by following Metro on The Source and El Pasajero at metro.net, facebook.com/losangelesmetro, twitter.com/metrolosangeles and twitter.com/metroLAalerts and instagram.com/metrolosangeles.
