Metro Express (Los Angeles County)

This article is about Metro Express in Los Angeles County, California. For MetroExpress rural transit bus service in Nova Scotia, see MetroExpress (Halifax).
Metro Express

Metro Express Line 577 at Long Beach.
Locale Los Angeles County, California
Service type bus service, bus rapid transit, express bus
Operator Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA)
Current Metro Express Map as of December 16, 2012.

Metro Express is an express bus service in Los Angeles County, California, operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Buses are usually express for a portion of the route, then run either local or limited stop in other areas and are identified by numbers in the 400's going to and from downtown and 500's for suburb-to-suburb trips.

There is one route (Line 577) which is identified as a premium express line. This is the only route that formerly used Metro's blue-painted buses (referred to by Metro as "Business Blue"). Note that the "X" suffix does not appear on the buses' headsigns. This service concept is planned to be expanded in the future. During the June 2011 service changes, Line 450X was renumbered as Line 450 since it was modified to make local stops in Downtown San Pedro and since has been replaced by the extension of the Metro Silver Line, as of December 2015. There are also at least 13 routes traveling by their respective transitways (Harbor Transitway and El Monte Busway).

Metro charges one zone maximum for their express services. The zone is $0.75 ($0.60 senior/disabled) added to the base fare of $1.75 ($0.75 peak/$0.35 off-peak senior/disabled). Students with K-12 and College/Vocational passes, seniors, and the disabled with monthly passes are not required to pay the zone fees, but those with a Day, Weekly, or Monthly pass without a zone sticker are required to pay the zone fees.

The busiest Metro Express line is Line 460 (Downtown Los Angeles-Knott's Berry Farm-Disneyland Express); it has the highest passenger ridership for the Metro Express category and the most frequent service of the express lines. The line is popularly known in the Metro Bus system for its amusement theme parks service to Knott's Berry Farm in the city of Buena Park, California, Disneyland, and Disney California Adventure Park located in Anaheim.

The Metro Silver Line runs on freeways and streets and also connects with various Metro Express lines at its stations. Although this is the case, the line is not considered a Metro Express line. The Silver Line belongs to the Metro Liner system (bus rapid transit).

During the October 2012 Westside/San Fernando Valley Service Council meeting, it was announced that Metro officials are currently proposing to operate a new premium Metro Express line, similar to line and 577. The new line was introduced in December 2014 as Line 788.[1] The line operates between Panorama City (Van Nuys Boulevard/Nordhoff Street) and Westwood (Westwood Boulevard and Wilshire Boulevard) during weekday rush hours. The line was originally proposed to operate on weekdays and weekends with service throughout the entire day and would operate all the way to Metro's Culver City Station.

Routes

X Lines- Premium Express Routes

"X-line" is Metro's premium express route; it operates with minimal stops. Metro formerly labeled this line with an "X" as Metro Express in the timetables. In the June 2011 service changes, Metro removed the "X" in the timetables and route number since the line had new stops added.

Route Terminals via Notes
577
[2]		 El Monte Station Cal State Long Beach Express Portion: San Gabriel River Freeway
In Long Beach: 7th Street
  • Operates weekdays only (Mon-Fri: 5:00a-9:30p)
  • Operated by Southland Transit
  • Serves Rio Hondo College.
  • Serves Norwalk Metro Green Line Station.
  • Serves Los Cerritos Center.
  • Express fares applies throughout entire route of line.

Local/Express Routes

Metro considers the non "x-lines" to be Metro Local services and they operate in much the same way as the 300-series (3xx) lines. The main difference between the limited stop 300-series (3xx) and the express 400 (4xx) and 500-series (5xx) is that the express buses operate on freeways or a transitway on a portion of their trip. Most routes use buses painted in the poppy-orange Metro Local livery, in some cases, buses in the Metro Rapid livery find their way into service on these routes. Those buses are equipped with special transponders that cause traffic signals to favor the bus, which adds to the express nature of the buses.

Metro Express Lines: 460 & 550 stop at Manchester/I-110 Silver Line Station.
Metro Express Line 450 bus stop sign in San Pedro.
Metro Express Line 460 to Disneyland at Flower Street & Adams Boulevard
Harbor Freeway Station is served by the Metro Silver Line, & Metro Express Lines: 450, 550 at the Metro Silver Line platform.
Knotts Berry Farm is served by Los Angeles Metro Express Line 460 which runs between Downtown Los Angeles, Norwalk & Disneyland.

Harbor Transitway Routes

Route Terminals via Notes
442
[3]		 Downtown LA
Union Station		 Hawthorne Station In Downtown LA: Figueroa & Flower Streets
Express Portion: Harbor Transitway
In South LA: Manchester Boulevard, La Brea Avenue
  • Operates weekday peak hours only (Mon-Fri: 6:00a-8:30a, 4:00p-6:00p), in the peak direction: northbound in the AM, southbound in the PM
  • Operates in local service in Downtown LA and limited-stop service in South LA.
  • Serves Inglewood Transit Center.
  • Local fare applies on the following areas: Downtown Los Angeles and 39th/Figueroa and Manchester/Figueroa and Hawthorne/Lennox Metro Green Line Station.
  • Express fare applies between Manchester/Figueroa and 39th/Figueroa.
460
[4]		 Downtown LA
Los Angeles Street and 5th-6th Streets		 Anaheim
Disneyland Resort		 In Downtown LA: Figueroa & Flower Streets
Express Portion: Harbor Transitway, Century Freeway
In South LA: Rosecrans Avenue, Alondra Boulevard
  • Daily service (Mon-Sun: 5:30a-12:00a)
  • Line has the highest ridership for the Metro Express Lines category.
  • Longest bus line in the Metro bus system (Metro Express).
  • Operates in local service in Downtown LA, and east of the Norwalk Metro Green Line station.
  • Orange County Transportation Authority accepts Metro's 30 day pass at selected bus stops where Line 460 connects to OCTA buses in the Orange County.
  • Serves Knott's Berry Farm and Fullerton Park and Ride Lot.
  • Uses a mix of NFI C40LF, NABI 40-LFW, and NABI 45C-LFW vehicles.
  • Local fare applies between Norwalk Metro Green Line Station and Disneyland.
  • Express fare applies between Downtown Los Angeles and Norwalk Metro Green Line Station.
550
[5]		 Vermont Expo Line Station (weekday peaks) San Pedro
7th Street and Patton Avenue		 Express Portion: Harbor Transitway
In South LA: Vermont Avenue, Normandie Avenue
  • Daily service (Mon-Fri: 5:30a-11:30p); (Sa: 6:00a-10:30p); (Su: 7:00a-10:30p)
  • Operates in local service south of Pacific Coast Highway, limited-stop service in other areas except on the Harbor Transitway
  • Local fares applies on the following areas: Hoover/32nd Street and 39th/Figueroa Street & Harbor Gateway Transit Center and San Pedro.
  • Express fares applies between 39th/Figueroa Street and Harbor Gateway Transit Center.
Harbor Gateway Transit Center

Note: In addition to these routes, Gardena Transit, OCTA and Torrance Transit operate express bus lines via the Harbor Transitway. These routes are not considered part of the Metro Express network.

El Monte Busway Routes

Route Terminals via Notes
485
[6]		 Downtown LA
Union Station		 Altadena
Altadena Drive and Lake Avenue		 Express Portion: El Monte Busway, Long Beach Freeway
In the San Gabriel Valley: Fremont Avenue, Lake Avenue
  • Operates weekdays only (Mon-Fri: 5:40a-10:10p)
  • Operates in local service off the El Monte Busway and Long Beach Freeway.
  • Serves Lake Metro Gold Line Station.
  • Local fare applies on the following areas: Downtown Los Angeles and Cal State LA Metro Silver Line Station, Valley/Westmont Dr. and Altadena.
  • Express fare applies between Cal State LA Metro Silver Line Station and Valley/Westmont Dr.
487/489
[7]		 Westlake/MacArthur Park Station El Monte
El Monte Bus Station (Line 487)		 In Downtown LA: Wilshire Boulevard, Grand Avenue & Olive Street
Express Portion: El Monte Busway
In the San Gabriel Valley: San Gabriel Boulevard, Sierra Madre Boulevard, Santa Anita Avenue (Line 487)
Valley Boulevard, Rosemead Boulevard (Line 489)
  • Daily service for Line 487 (Mon-Fri: 6:00a-9:00p); (Sa: 7:00a-8:30p); (Su: 7:00a-8:00p)
  • Line 489 operates weekday rush hours only in the peak direction: westbound in the AM, eastbound in the PM (M-F: 6a-8a; 4p-7p)
  • Operates in local service off the El Monte Busway
  • Line 487 serves the Misson/Broadway Park and Ride Lot in San Gabriel and Sierra Madre Villa Metro Gold Line Station.
  • Lines 487 & 489 both serves the Del Mar Park and Ride Lot in San Gabriel.
  • Local fare for Line 487 applies in the following areas: Westlake/Mac Arthur Park Metro Red/Purple Lines Station and El Monte Busway and Cal State LA Metro Silver Line Station, Del Mar Avenue/ Marshall Street and El Monte Station.
  • Express fare for Lines 487 & 489 applies between Cal State LA Metro Silver Line Station and Del Mar Avenue/ Marshall Street.
  • Local fare for Line 489 applies in the following areas: Westlake/Mac Arthur Park Metro Red/Purple Lines Station and El Monte Busway and Cal State LA Metro Silver Line Station, Del Mar Avenue/ Marshall Street and Temple City.
Temple City
Rosemead Boulevard and Huntington Drive (Line 489)

Note: In addition to these routes, Foothill Transit operates a number of express bus lines (including the Silver Streak) via the El Monte Busway. These lines are not considered part of the Metro Express network.

Routes operating via the Santa Monica Freeway

Metro Express Line: 550 at Harbor Gateway Transit Center.
Route Terminals via Notes
534
[8]		 Washington/Fairfax Transit Hub Malibu
Pacific Coast Highway and Trancas Canyon Road		 Express Portion: Santa Monica Freeway
Outside of Santa Monica: Pacific Coast Highway
  • Daily service (Mon-Fri: 5:30a-9:30p); (Sa: 7:00a-9:00p); (Su: 7:00a-8:00p)
  • Operates in local service off the Santa Monica Freeway
  • Some trips operate via Point Dume
  • Originally Line 434, which operated to Union Station
  • Serves Culver City Metro Expo Line Station.
  • Local fare for Line 534 applies in the following areas: Washington Fairfax Transit Hub and Culver City Metro Expo Line Station, 5th/Colorado and Malibu.
  • Express fare for Line 534 applies between Olympic/5th and Culver City Metro Expo Line Station.
  • The proposed June 2014 service changes were proposing to eliminate the express service between Santa Monica and Washington Fairfax Transit Hub for the future Metro Expo Line phase 2 opening to Santa Monica in 2016. Therefore, this proposed change for June 2014 was postponed.[9]

Note: In addition to these routes, Santa Monica Transit Rapid 10 operates between downtown Los Angeles and downtown Santa Monica via the Santa Monica Freeway. This route is not considered part of the Metro Express network.

Routes operating via the Ventura Freeway

Route Terminals via Notes
501
[10]		 Del Mar Station North Hollywood Station Express Portion:
Ventura Freeway
  • Daily service (Mon-Fri: 5:30a-9:00p); (Sa-Su: 6:30a-9:00p)
  • Operates in express service for the entire route[11]
  • Began operation on March 1, 2016

Note: In addition to these routes, LADOT Commuter Express 549 operates between Pasadena and Encino via the Ventura Freeway. This route is not considered part of the Metro Express network.

Metro Silver Line

910 - El Monte Station- Downtown Los Angeles- Harbor Gateway Transit Center-San Pedro

Line 910 connects El Monte Station and Harbor Gateway Transit Center through downtown LA, replacing the express and downtown portions of the 444, 446/447, 484 and 490. Service operates along the El Monte Busway and Harbor Transitway. Began service on December 13, 2009. This route is part of the Metro Liner system.

See also

References


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