One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Metro Ridership Increases/Decreases in October
Photo by GarySe7en via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr
"It depends on how you look at it," Steve Hymon at the Bottleneck Blog said. In October, Metro's ridership increased when you compare it to October's 2007 ridership. However, on a month-to-month basis, ridership in general--except for the subway--is dipping as gas prices continue to fall.
But the real question for many is if the late-night subway service beginning this Friday will have enough ridership to sustain the service beyond its holiday pilot project life.
October 2008 Ridership Statistics:
- 301,262 average weekday boardings on the Metro Red, Purple, Blue, Gold, and Green lines compared to 258,333 boardings in October 2007.
- Red/Purple Lines: 154,935 boardings, up 20.87 percent from last year and up from September 2008 with around 5,000 more daily boardings.
- Blue Line: 80,577 boardings, up 9.34 percent from last year and down from this September's 84,917.
- Green Line: 41,746 weekday boardings, up 9.93 percent from last year; down from 45,346 in September 2008.
- Gold line: 24,004 boardings, up 29.87 percent from last year and slightly less than the month before when it was 25,511.
- Orange Line: 25,428 boardings, up 6.72 percent over last year, down from September's 27,987.
- Metro Buses: 1,222,589 weekday boardings compared 1,175, 256 in October 2007 and 1,253,620 in September 2008.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
