Metro ridership remains strong as gas prices fall

Metro, aka the MTA, just released its statistics for September ridership. It appears the number of people on all the rail lines and the bus lines has remained high, even as gas prices have fallen by as much as a $1 a gallon from their summertime peaks. But only the Orange Line set a new ridership record last month. -- Steve Hymon

Here's the press release from Metro:

LA METRO SYSTEM RIDERSHIP REMAINS STRONG, METRO ORANGE LINE HITS NEW RECORD

All bus and rail lines report year-over-year boarding increases

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) today announced that bus and rail ridership has remained strong on a year-over-year basis despite the continued reduction in local gasoline prices, with the Metro Orange Line reaching another ridership record and the Metro Gold Line logging a 30 percent increase in ridership.

At 27,987 average weekday boardings for September, the San Fernando Valley’s popular Metro Orange Line reached the highest boardings since the line opened in October 2005.  Average weekday boardings on the Metro Gold Line reached 25,511 in September, which is more than a 30 percent increase compared with September 2007.  Metro’s subway and Blue Line both experienced a nearly 10 percent increase in boardings, and Metro Green Line boardings grew by almost 12 percent.  Metro directly operated bus boardings jumped 6.3 percent during the same year-over-year period.

Specific line by line ridership figures (by average weekday boarding):

Metro Orange Line

Sept. 2007: 25,618

Sept. 2008: 27,987   

+9.25%

Metro Red/Purple Line

Sept. 2007: 136,355

Sept. 2008: 149,699

+9.79%