From Sherman Oaks to Burbank Airport it was just a little over 45 minutes by bus. A few bucks later and some good podcast listening on the ride (The California Report, This American Life), we were on our travels yesterday in a flash. No bothering friends for a ride, no use of cars and no Supershuttle, a.k.a., we will pick you up 3 hours before your flight and have to go pick up 6 other people after we pick you up.

Not all of you live in Sherman Oaks, so here's the main tip. If you can get to the NoHo Red Line Station, you're one quick bus ride away from Burbank Airport (Use the NoHo -> Empire Bus that is referred to as the Airport Area bus. Catch it at Bus Bay 1. Get off at Thornton/Hollywood Way).

After the jump, the trip...

6:15 a.m.

158 Northbound on Woodman Ave.

At this time of morning, the bus actually arrived exactly as the printed schedule said. As evident by the picture, I was the first passenger of the day and I was happy to be that guy.

6:21 a.m.

Orange Line Station: Woodman/Valley Glen

Walking the 300 or so feet from the 158 stop and the Orange Line station, two Metro Liners back-to-back pulled through -- there was nothing I could do and I was a wee bit exasperated. Then I realized at this time of morning, Orange Line runs about every 3-5 minutes and I am on a bus at 6:25. If all bus lines in Los Angeles ran with such frequency, how many more people would use the system?

I love early mornings in LA. The light is beautiful, even if I cannot capture it on a digital camera.

Motion makes me sleepy. Same for these folks.

6:36 a.m.

Orange Line/Red Line Transit Hub

For those who have never taken the Orange Line, the Red Line connection is across Lankershim Blvd. It's a little annoying, but really not that bad.

Red Line Subway people running for the Orange Line. Don't worry folks, there are like a gabillion ready to take you to the West Valley.

6:45 a.m.

Burbank Noho-Empire: Bus Bay at Red Line Station

The Burbank Bus Bays are way at the back. This was my first time on a Burbank Bus and I was surprised at the honky-dory nature of these. Then again, when you're called Bizarrebank...

7:04 a.m.

Arrival at Burbank Airport

I've always had door-to-door service to BUR so I had never walked from the Hollywood Way entrance into the airport. Really, not that bad and at one point, I was going faster than the cars in the queue to get in.

Comments (1) [rss]

[1] |

You asked, in regards to the frequent rush hour service on the Orange Line:

If all bus lines in Los Angeles ran with such frequency, how many more people would use the system?

The reason the Orange Line has high frequency is because of the number of people who are already riding it. With Metro having a financial crisis, the way you get increased service is: Ride more often. Metro has a policy followed by most transit agencies in this country, which is to match the service level with the demand. No agency runs super-frequent service in hopes of attracting ridership. That financial model simply doesn't work, and often wastes resources that could be used for improving service on lines that have more ridership than the present service level can sustain.

Nice pipedream, but not practical.

Also, here's a tip for those of you who get off the bus at the Hollywood Way entrance to Bob Hope Airport:

I had never walked from the Hollywood Way entrance into the airport.

There is a stop, with shelter, just inside the airport entrance for the parking lot shuttles. They will pick up anyone from there, on their way in from the lots, and drop them off at the island in front of the terminals.

In fact, the last time I flew out of BHA, a shuttle driver saw me walking from the corner and actually stopped beside the shelter and waited for me to get to his bus. Beats walking, especially with luggage ...

Reply | May 6, 2007 5:58 PM

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Using the Bus to Burbank Airport Is Easy