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December 5, 2005 
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Metro to Start New Express Bus Service from Long Beach to El Monte; Add New Metro Rapid Line on Western Avenue and Begin Four New Limited Stop Lines as Part of Service Modifications Effective Dec. 18

Guide to service enhancements (PDF)

Effective Sunday, Dec. 18, Metro will implement several service enhancements that will include a new Metro Express Bus Line from Long Beach to El Monte, a new Metro Rapid Bus Line along Western Avenue and start up new limited stop service on four bus lines in an effort to improve bus service in the region.

New Metro Express Bus Line 577X will begin weekday operation on Monday, Dec. 19, with service from El Monte to Long Beach via the 605 Freeway. There will only be four stops at the

El Monte Bus Station, the Metro Green Line Norwalk Station, California State University, Long Beach and the VA Medical Center in Long Beach.

In addition, Metro will begin a new 13-mile Metro Rapid Bus Line (Line 757) along Western Avenue from the Western/Hollywood Metro Red Line Station to the Crenshaw Station of the Metro Green Line. The new Western Metro Rapid Line will operate seven days a week beginning on Sunday, Dec. 18.

Metro also plans to implement new limited stop bus service to four existing bus lines during weekdays only. Those lines include Line 330 ((W. Pico Bl/East 1st St./Floral Dr. Dozier/Rowan), Line 368 (W. Washington Bl/Cesar Chavez Ave. and Cesar Chavez/Roman), Line 442 ((Hawthorne Station-LA/Union Station Express), and Line 444 (Rancho Palos Verdes/Torrance-LA/Union Station Express).

Additionally, Metro will begin operating Saturday service on the Crenshaw Metro Rapid (Line 710) and will deploy new 60-foot articulated buses on both the Vermont Metro Rapid Bus Line 754 and the newly implemented Western Metro Rapid Bus Line 757.

Metro will add additional service on eight Metro Bus Lines in both the morning and afternoon peak periods to improve service on the following bus lines: Lines 62, 108, 266, 16-316, 445, 450X, 717 & 720.

The following is a listing of the various service modifications and improvements being implemented effective on either Sunday, Dec. 18 or Monday, Dec. 19 depending on weekend/weekday service offered.

Metro South Bay Sector

Line 108/358 (Slauson Ave.) Add more morning service on Saturdays.

Line 110 (Gage Ave./Centinela/Fox Hills Mall) New west terminal at Playa Vista on Saturday.

Line 207/357 (Western Ave.) Line 357 limited stop service replaced by new Metro Rapid Line 757.

Line 210 (Crenshaw Blvd.) Additional Saturday service on Line 710 and adjust schedules on Line 210.

Line 442 (Hawthorne Station-LA/Union Station Express) New limited stop service on Hawthorne Blvd. New south terminal at Hawthorne Metro Green Line Station. Route change at 39th Street to serve Slauson Harbor Transitway Station.

Line 444 (Rancho Palos Verdes/Torrance/LA/Union Station Express) New limited stop service on Hawthorne Blvd.

Line 445 (San Pedro Park/Ride Express) Add more service.

Line 446/447 (San Pedro Express) Mid-day and weekend service ends at the Artesia Transit Center.

Line 450X (Artesia Transit Center/7th/Metro Express) Add more service.

Line 710 (Metro Rapid Crenshaw) Start new Saturday service.

Line 754 (Metro Rapid Vermont) Add new 60-foot high capacity buses.

Line 757 (Metro Rapid Western) Begin new rapid service using 60-foot high capacity buses.

Lines 117, 119-126, 120-121, 127, 439, 711, 740; Provide fewer trips during off-peak hours.

Metro San Gabriel Valley Sector

Line 78-79-378 (LA/Alhambra/S.Arcadia/Arcadia) Modify line 79 to service new transit center inside Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita.

Line 170 (El Monte/Montebello) New south terminal at Montebello Towne Center.

Line 175 (Fountain Ave./Talmadge St./Hyperion Ave.) Discontinue mid-day service.

Line 177 (JPL/Pasadena) New east terminal at the Sierra Madre Villa Metro Gold Line Station.

Line 180/181 (Hollywood/Glendale/Pasadena) Modify line 181 in the eastbound direction to use Colorado Blvd., Sierra Madre Villa Ave., and Foothill Blvd.)

Line 201 (Silverlake Blvd./Glendale/E Glenoaks Blvd.) Add more service and reroute line in Atwater Village and Glendale.

Line 255 (Rowan Ave.) New north terminal at LAC/USC Medical Center.

Line 258-259 (Eastern Ave./Arizona Ave./Alhambra) Add more service to Line 258. Extend Line 258 south to Alondra Blvd. Cancel line 259.

Line 260-361 (Artesia Station/Pasadena/Altadena via Atlantic) Add more service on route north of Colorado to Woodbury Road.

Line 264 (Duarte/Altadena) Add more service. Reroute to serve new transit center inside Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita.

Line 268 (El Monte/Baldwin Ave./JPL) Modify line to serve new transit center inside Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita.

Line 484 (LA/El Monte/La Puente/Pomona) and Line 490 (LA/El Monte/Covina/Pomona) Add more service.

Metro Westside/Central Sector

Line 16-316 (W. Third St./Century City) Add more service.

Line 30-31-330 (W. Pico Blvd./E. First St./Floral Dr.) New Line 330 limited stop service between Pico/Arlington and 1st/Soto Streets.

Line 33-333 (Venice Blvd.) Reroute part of line in Santa Monica.

Line 68-368 (W. Washington Blvd./Cesar Chavez Ave.) New Line 368 limited stop service between Washington Blvd./La Brea Ave. and Cesar Chavez/Rowan.

Line 434 (West LA Transit Center/Santa Monica/Malibu/Trancas Express) Renumber to Line 534. New east terminal for line 534 at West LA Transit Center. Reroute at West LA Transit Center area to connect with Line 33.

Line 717 (Metro Rapid Fairfax) and Line 720 (Metro Rapid Wilshire/Whittier Blvd.) Add more service.

Metro Gateway Cities Sector

Line 26-51-52-352 (7th St./Virgil Ave./Avalon Blvd.) Shorten route with north terminal for Line 26 at Hollywood and Sunset boulevards.

Line 62 (LA/Santa Fe Springs/Norwalk/Hawaiian Gardens) Renumber from Line 362 and add more service.

Line 102 (E. Jefferson Blvd./Exposition Blvd./Coliseum St.) Reroute to South Gate and Huntington Park and add more service.

Line 125 (Rosecrans Ave.) Change in route to use Woodruff instead of 605 Freeway.

Line 254 (Watts/Huntington Park/Lorena St./City Terrace) Shorten route with north terminal at Dozier/Rowan and south terminal at 103rd St. Metro Blue Line Station.

Line 258-259 (Eastern Ave./Arizona Ave./Alhambra) Extend Line 258 south to Alondra Blvd. Add more service to Line 258. Cancel Line 259.

Line 265 (Lakewood/Paramount Blvd./Pico Rivera/Montebello) Extend route to Montebello Towne Center and add more service.

Line 275 (Cerritos/Valley View Ave./Greenleaf Ave./Whittier) Shorten northern route to end at Whittier Depot.

Line 362 (LA/Santa Fe Springs/Norwalk/Hawaiian Gardens) Renumber to Line 62 and add more service.

Line 577X (Long Beach/Norwalk/El Monte Station Express) Add new express service.

Line 612 (Huntington Park/Bell/Cudahy/South Gate/Lynwood/Watts) Reroute in Huntington Park, Walnut Park and South Gate to cover portions of discontinued Line 681.

Line 681 (Slauson/Huntington park/Watts Shuttle) Cancel line and reroute Line 612 to cover portions of discontinued line 681.

The major service changes in Metro's San Fernando Valley Sector were implemented in October, 2005 with the opening of the Metro Orange Line. Effective Dec. 18, Line 761 (Van Nuys Metro Rapid) will receive additional northbound evening trips and the frequency of Metro Orange Line buses on the weekend will improve from 12 minutes to 10 minutes. Frequency on weekday service during the midday on Line 156 will be widened from 25 to 30 minutes.

For specific route and schedule information, patrons can call 1-800-C-O-M-M-U-T-E or visit Metro's Trip Planner at www.metro.net.

Metro-179

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