L.A. Metro Highlights Full Year of Ridership Growth

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) announced that the agency saw an 11.3% increase in total system ridership in November 2023 compared to November 2022 with more than 24 million boardings, marking the 12th consecutive month of year-over-year ridership growth.

Metro’s ridership in 2023 through November has now exceeded the level it posted for the entire calendar year of 2022.

Through the first 11 months of 2023, Metro posted 261.5 million boardings, exceeding the 255.3 million seen in 2022.

Ridership in November

In November, Metro had 24,218,275 boardings on its bus and rail services, which is 82% of its 2019 pre-pandemic level. Average weekend ridership was at almost 81% of pre-pandemic (November 2019) levels, with Saturday boardings averaging 635,228 boardings (87% of pre-pandemic) and Sunday boardings averaging 524,632 (96% pre-pandemic) boardings.

Average weekday ridership was 907,343 boardings, marking the third consecutive month that weekday Metro ridership surpassed 900,000 boardings, coming in at 82.5% of pre-pandemic (November 2019) levels for the month. 

November 2023 marked the fifth month of operation for the newly reconfigured A and E Lines. The A Line, which serves customers from Azusa to Long Beach, saw 1,633,593 boardings in November 2023.

The E Line, which serves customers from East L.A. to Santa Monica, had 1,136,150 boardings during the month. The subway, which includes the B/D lines, saw the largest number of rail boardings during the month with 1,743,434 trips taken. 

Metro bus ridership in November saw a 13% year-over-year increase over November 2022. More than 19 million rides were taken on Metro buses, with total bus ridership in November 2023 at 88% of its pre-pandemic (November 2019) level. Thirty-eight Metro bus lines posted 20% or higher year-over-year ridership growth.

Metro’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 making it easier for many to ride by providing accessible and affordable transit.

In November, Metro’s GoPass pilot program saw a 28% year-over-year increase over November 2022. Student boardings measured 1,772,606 riders with 1,589,336 student bus boardings and 183,270 student rail boardings. To date, the program has 343,980 registered students from 1573 participating schools in 115 participating school districts.

L.A. Metro's Ridership Milestone

In October, Metro announced that the agency saw a 10% year-over-year increase in total system ridership in September 2023 compared to September 2022 with more than 24.5 million boardings.

In September, Metro had 24,671,730 boardings on its bus and rail services. An average of 938,167 rides were taken each weekday, the first time since February 2020 that weekday Metro ridership has surpassed 900,000 boardings.

Metro saw a nearly 12% increase in total system ridership in October 2023 compared to October 2022 with more than 26.5 million boardings.