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The Expo Line Is So Popular, It Already Needs More Cars
Expo Line (Photo by CindiK. via the LAist Featured Photos pool)
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Expo Line ridership has gone way up since the extension to Santa Monica opened in May, and with it, complaints that the trains were overcrowded. There simply aren't enough cars to contain everyone who's just dying for some nice views of bougainvillea.
But Metro is on it. Via a conversation with KPCC, Metro CEO Phil Washington addressed the overcrowding, and said that more cars are being built right now to accommodate both the Expo Line and the Gold Line:
Our contractor, Kinky Sharyo, is producing about 4 cars per month. We bring those cars in, we test them, we commission them and put them right on the Gold Line and on the Expo Line; you’re going to see big relief on both those lines very, very soon. Those cars are coming in at 4 a month, we’re trying to increase that to 5 per month, you’re going to relief, you’re going to see 3-cars consists on both those lines very soon.
Washington also addressed issues like safety, saying that Metro has been "doubling down on our security," and have already seen a decrease in crime at Metro stops and along routes since implementing these increased security measures six months ago.
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He also touched on Pokemon Go: if you'll remember, Metro created a Twitter account designed to help you catch 'em all while using public transit. It's basically just a "whatever works" attitude to help increase ridership, especially with a $120 billion, 40-year plan looming ahead. "Whatever partnerships we can establish with the private sector, be it Pokemon Go, or whatever [will help]," Washington said.
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