LA Metro D Line extension drove May ridership growth

Ridership on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) rail system in May increased 9.5% over the same period last year to 6,472,058.

Weekday ridership rose 8%, while weekend rail ridership was up 18% over last year, L.A. Metro officials said in a press release.

All but one of L.A. Metro's rail lines — the C Line — logged an increase in ridership in May. Ridership on the A Line grew 11.3%; the B Line was up 7%; the D Line increased 62%; the E Line grew 4%; and the K Line was up 48%. 

Much of the growth was driven by the 62% ridership jump on the D Line following the opening of three new stations on May 8. The stations added between 8,000 to 10,000 new riders per day. The station grand openings, the L.A. County Fair, Jazz at LACMA and a concert at the KIA Forum contributed to increased ridership in May, authority officials said.

"Tens of thousands more people each day are choosing Metro rail because – frankly – it provides a better alternative than sitting in traffic, especially when you look at the D Line, which cuts commute times in half," said L.A. Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins. "We expect the rail numbers to increase as more people discover the convenience as well as the cost and time savings of using the system."