Rapper and entertainer Snoop Dogg (center) joined Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington in cutting the ribbon for the new A Line during an event.
LA Metro
2 min to read
Rapper and entertainer Snoop Dogg (center) joined Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington in cutting the ribbon for the new A Line during an event.
LA Metro
With the completion of the New Blue Improvement Project, L.A. Metro’s new rail and bus rapid transit (BRT) line renaming convention will go into effect with Metro’s Blue line now being referred to as the A Line. This begins a three-year process to rename all Metro Rail and BRT lines by 2022.
Under the new system, each Metro Rail and BRT line will be designated by a letter and color. The Metro board approved a new line naming convention in November 2018, citing the need for more consistency as the system grows.
Ad Loading...
The new naming convention helps alleviate several issues. In the past, most Metro Rail lines were named after colors except for the Expo Line and the Crenshaw/LAX Line that are named after street names and places — which riders may find confusing. Metro’s system map has also been reliant on colors and can be difficult to read for those who are color blind. Adding letters will help avoid this problem.
The rest of Metro Rail and the Silver Line and Orange Line will transition to the new naming convention when the Crenshaw/LAX line opens.
L.A. Metro
Starting with the A Line, most station signage will simply show the letter A within a colored dot. The rest of Metro Rail and the Silver Line and Orange Line will transition to the new naming convention when the Crenshaw/LAX line opens. The Crenshaw/LAX Line currently does not have a letter name as Metro’s operation staff is still working on finalizing the line’s operational plan.
“We believe this is great news for the region because we have big plans for new rail and bus rapid transit lines in the years to come,” said Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington. “This new naming convention will help keep our system easy to navigate and make it more user friendly — and, thus, improve the customer experience.”
Under the new naming convention, the Red Line will eventually become the B Line, the Green Line will be the C Line, the Purple Line the D Line, and the Expo Line the E Line, to name a few examples. The Gold Line will become the J Line until the Regional Connector opens and ties together the Blue, Expo, and Gold Lines. The eventual Azusa to Long Beach line created by the Connector will be known as the A Line, while the East Los Angeles to Santa Monica line will be the E Line.
The delivery marks the first car in a 374‑vehicle order and begins the arrival of a new generation of higher‑capacity, more reliable, and more comfortable trains for one of the country’s busiest commuter rail systems.
Metro launches a 24-month project to replace 3,700 bus stop signs, introducing improved visibility, QR-enabled rider info, and expanded amenities across Hamilton County.
BART recorded 5,403,140 exits in March, making it the highest monthly ridership since the pandemic and surpassing the previous high set in October 2025 (5,346,890 exits).
The station was rebuilt as part of SEPTA’s Station Accessibility Program, making it fully ADA accessible with new elevators, ramps, and high-level platforms.
The plan represents an increase of just 1.9% over the current year, and includes investments in new buses, more full-length fare gates, and other enhancements for customers.
The announcement highlights the long-standing partnership between the Class I railroad and the commuter rail system, dating back to Metra's creation in 1983.
In Part 1, Blandon shares his journey from the U.S. Marines to a leadership role in public transit, along with insights on mentorship and professional growth within the industry.