Los Angeles is choosing Metro rail more than they have in over six years, with the agency reporting that ridership on the mode has increased 9.5% compared to the same period last year, driven by a remarkable 62% jump on the D line following the opening of three new stations in early May.

Weekend rail ridership was especially strong, soaring 18% as riders embraced expanded access to jobs, entertainment, dining, and cultural destinations, said the agency. Total system ridership for May, including bus and rail, was 26,966,657.

"The opening of the new D Line stations is already making a meaningful difference, connecting more Angelenos to jobs, educational opportunities, entertainment, and cultural destinations across our region,” said Fernando Dutra, Metro board chair. “These ridership numbers show that when we invest in fast, reliable, and convenient transit, people respond. Seeing rail ridership reach its highest levels in more than six years — and continue to grow for a sixth consecutive month — is a strong sign that Metro's investments are delivering real value to the communities we serve.” 

Strong Rail Ridership

During May, rail ridership totaled 6,472,058. The new D Line stations added 8,000 to 10,000 new riders per day, and overall, weekday rail ridership rose 8%, while weekend ridership rose 18%.

The opening of the three new D line stations helped boost ridership, even though they were not open for the entire month. In addition, the L.A. County Fair, Jazz at LACMA, and the Demi Lovato concert at the Kia Forum contributed to the increase, said officials.

Rail ridership highlights include:

• Ridership increased 11.3% on the A line, continuing its strong performance and also experiencing strong growth on weekends, including 21.3% on Saturdays and 18.5% on Sundays.
• A 7% increase on the B line, with the biggest gains on Saturdays and Sundays.
• The D line increased by 62%, with especially high growth on weekends, at nearly 80%.
• A 4% increase on the E line, which represents a continued growth streak.
• A significant 48% increase on the K line, with weekends seeing the highest increases at 62.7% and 60.5% for Saturdays and Sundays, respectively.

“Tens of thousands more people each day are choosing Metro rail because — frankly — it provides a better alternative than sitting in traffic, especially when you look at the D Line, which cuts commute times in half,” said Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins. “We expect the rail numbers to increase as more people discover the convenience as well as the cost and time savings of using the system.”

Bus Ridership Down

Meanwhile, LA Metro officials reported that bus ridership decreased 4.9% year-over-year, resulting in an overall ridership decrease of 1.8%.

Route 720 saw a 6.5% year-over-year decrease in ridership, largely driven by the expansion of the D line, which largely follows the same route along Wilshire Boulevard.

Bus ridership still makes up most of Metro’s numbers, with ridership at 20,494,599 for the month.