Govind Tekale
LA Metro carried 311,261,332 passengers in 2024, an 8% increase from 2023 and the first time reaching pre-pandemic ridership levels since COVID-19. The system topped one million average weekday boardings during September and October, while weekend ridership has exceeded pre-pandemic levels for 25 consecutive months.
“As more and more people put their trust in Metro to get where they’re going, making our system safe, clean, and reliable has to remain our absolute priority,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor and Metro Board Chair Janice Hahn. “Our buses, trains, and stations have to serve hundreds of thousands of people every day all year round, and those numbers are increasing.”
Service Improvements Drive Higher Numbers
Bus ridership grew 8.8% in 2024, bolstered by reliability improvements, increased frequency, and reconfigured routes that enhance regional connectivity.
On the rail side, the reconfigured A and E Lines completed their first full year of operation in June and recorded a combined 33.4% ridership increase in December 2024 compared to December 2023. Metro’s Aviation/Century Station now functions as a transfer point between the C Line and K Line, which exclusively serves the west side stations including Mariposa, El Segundo, Douglas, and Redondo Beach. Overall rail ridership rose 5.4% in 2024.
Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins attributed growth to customer-focused improvements: “I’m proud of the Metro team for putting people first and for prioritizing what matters most to our riders: safety, cleanliness, reliability, comfort, and ease. For more than two years, transit ridership has been growing in L.A. County. To me, that speaks to the fact that our efforts are making positive differences.”
Weekend and Leisure Travel Leads Recovery
Weekend trips continue to fuel Metro’s ridership growth. Special events attracted many riders, including the Hard Summer Music Festival, college football, Rams and Chargers games, Dodgers games and championship parade, plus holiday celebrations at Grand Park’s NYELA Countdown to 2025. Metro provided additional late-night service, shuttle buses, and free service on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
The upward trend continued into January 2025, marking the 26th consecutive month of year-over-year growth with 25,358,363 boardings. The system reached 82.9% of pre-pandemic levels overall, with weekday ridership at 80.7% and weekend ridership at 93.1% of pre-pandemic figures.
The E Line performed particularly well in January 2025, with overall ridership up 16.8% compared to January 2024. Weekend E Line ridership showed even stronger increases: Saturday boardings jumped 25.8% and Sunday trips rose 16.4%.
Similar Posts
Safety Strategy Shows Results
Metro’s three-part safety approach includes:
- Increased presence of uniformed personnel (law enforcement, security officers, and ambassadors)
- Enhanced access control through TAP inspections and trespasser checks
- Partnerships addressing homelessness, mental illness, and addiction
In June 2024, the Metro Board authorized a new Transit Community Public Safety Department (TCPSD), which will employ more than 600 sworn officers, crisis intervention specialists, and other personnel. The popular Metro Ambassador program is transitioning from contracted services to full-time Metro employees.
The agency implemented TAP-to-Exit at select stations to ensure fare payment. At North Hollywood Station alone, the program has identified nearly 120,000 unpaid passenger exits and recovered over $130,000 in fares since implementation less than a year ago. Union Station will join the program in early 2025.
These combined efforts contributed to a 15.5% decrease in violent crime per million boardings in 2024.
Affordability Programs Show Strong Growth
Metro’s key affordability initiatives include:
- GoPass program: Free transit for K-12 and community college students recorded 19,665,051 boardings in 2024, up 11% from 2023
- LIFE program: Free/reduced fares for low-income customers saw 20,873,250 boardings in 2024, a 27% increase
- Fare capping: TAP card users pay maximum $5 daily or $18 weekly
- Mobility Wallet Pilot: Provides qualifying residents $150 monthly for transportation options
When wildfires struck Los Angeles County in January 2025, Metro extended LIFE program benefits to affected residents, helping 2,089 new riders with transit relief. Several bus lines required cancellation or rerouting, with Lines 134, 602, 660, and 662 all affected.
Future Expansion
“We’re excited to welcome more riders in 2025, as we expand our system to LAX Airport, the San Gabriel Foothills and the Wilshire Boulevard Corridor,” Wiggins stated, pointing to major system expansions planned for the coming year.
FAQs
