July 13, 2001
CONTACT: 
Ed Scannell/Marc Littman
MTA MEDIA RELATIONS
(213) 922-2703/922-2700 www.mta.net/press/pressroom
e-mail: mediarelations@mta.net
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Metro Rail System Closing In On Quarter Million Daily Boardings

• Metro Red Line Subway Ridership Hits New High

Versión en español
(Los Angeles) - Ridership on the Metro Red Line subway continued its record setting trend in June 2001 with average weekday boardings of 150,025.  Compared to May 2001, this represents an increase of 15,350.  This is the largest month-to-month increase, with the exception of increases produced by new segment openings, since the Metro Red Line began service in January 1993.

Combined Metro Rail ridership closed in on the quarter million mark in June, with average weekday boardings of 244,325.  The Metro Blue Line notched 64,550 average weekday boardings, the Metro Green Line 29,750.

“The Metro Blue and Green Lines have been running at or near capacity for quite some time,” said Ashok Kumar, MTA data analyst.  “The big story here is the Metro Red Line.”

“We believe rising gasoline prices fueled much of the increase in Metro Red Line ridership from April to May,” he said.  “June brought little relief at the pump, and now we’re also seeing the impact of the tourist season, which just got underway.”

The 17.4-mile Metro Red Line runs from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to North Hollywood via Hollywood and to Wilshire/Western in L.A.’s Mid-City.  The 22-mile Metro Blue Line operates from downtown Los Angeles to Long Beach.  The 20-mile Metro Green Line runs from Norwalk in southeast L.A. County to Redondo Beach.

MTA-102

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