Gearing up to leverage on expanding MTA service?

[pithecanthropus]

As an outside observer (and I mean really outside, never having taken a ride on MetroLink), it seems to me that the greatest disincentive for many potential new customers is that their jobs in L.A. are too far away from Union Station, or else are not anywhere near the rail lines. If you think about it, even LAUS itself is a few of miles away from the real center of local urban rail transit, which I consider to be 7th Metro Center. At any rate, not many people want to spend an hour on a train followed by another hour on a bus in traffic, only to do the reverse at the end of the day.

But this picture changes as new rail routes come online. With Phase I of the Expo Line expected to start operations next Spring, those who work or study somewhere along the route, and who live somewhere along the existing commuter rail lines, would now seem to have a new opportunity to leave their cars at home. USC alone, as one of the largest employers in the County--not to mention its thousands of commuting students--would seem to be the most notable source of potential new business for MetroLink.

If MetroLink isn't actively trying to capitalize on this, I think they are missing an opportunity.

It seems to me that

[masonite]

Oct 24, 2011 16:03:17 GMT -8 pithecanthropus said:

As an outside observer (and I mean really outside, never having taken a ride on MetroLink), it seems to me that the greatest disincentive for many potential new customers is that their jobs in L.A. are too far away from Union Station, or else are not anywhere near the rail lines. If you think about it, even LAUS itself is a few of miles away from the real center of local urban rail transit, which I consider to be 7th Metro Center. At any rate, not many people want to spend an hour on a train followed by another hour on a bus in traffic, only to do the reverse at the end of the day.

But this picture changes as new rail routes come online. With Phase I of the Expo Line expected to start operations next Spring, those who work or study somewhere along the route, and who live somewhere along the existing commuter rail lines, would now seem to have a new opportunity to leave their cars at home. USC alone, as one of the largest employers in the County--not to mention its thousands of commuting students--would seem to be the most notable source of potential new business for MetroLink.

If MetroLink isn't actively trying to capitalize on this, I think they are missing an opportunity.

It seems to me that

I have always thought Metrolink will see a significant uptick in ridership when rail heads to the Westside. There are so many people that live in Santa Clarita, the San Gabriel Valley and Inland Empire, as well as Orange County that work on the Westside and a combo Metrolink/Metrorail ride is the only thing that can pretty much save them from crushing traffic.

However, the Purple Line Extension is where this will really come in as people can easily board at LAUS for a quick ride to Century City, Beverly Hills, or Westwood. Expo is not as near job centers and even with the Connector, people will have to transfer to get to Expo. Nevertheless, I expect to see some uptick in Metrolink even with just Expo Phase 1.

[pithecanthropus]

Even before the Purple Line extension, I think the Regional Connector could potentially result in a major boost to MetroLink ridership, depending on how they decide to run the trains.