# Metrolink's annual ridership continues to drop



## CHamilton (Sep 12, 2014)

Metrolink's annual ridership continues to drop




> Once hailed as the fastest-growing commuter line in the nation, the railroad has seen its annual ridership drop by almost 595,000 passengers since 2008, with resulting losses in revenue. That and other factors have left the agency squeezed between trimming service or boosting fares, either of which could prompt more defections.
> 
> Officials of the six-county system — covering a region of more than 20 million people — mostly blame the downturn on the worst recession since World War II, which decimated the region's workforce.
> 
> They also note that downtown Los Angeles — the predominant destination for Metrolink commuters — is undergoing a residential renaissance but has faded as an employment center.


----------



## Blackwolf (Sep 12, 2014)

I would think that Metrolink's managers have means for researching this kind of data at their fingertips, but the last part of the quote stating that "downtown Los Angeles — the predominant destination for Metrolink commuters — is undergoing a residential renaissance but has faded as an employment center" should raise flags about a redistribution of services. Start moving away from the classic "Morning-Inbound Evening-Outbound" kind of scheduling and instead move to a more distributed system taking advantage of the upswing in reverse-commuting. And mid-day services being expanded.

Sure, Monday Morning Quarterbacking here, but if a non-expert with a computer can think of these things the experts who this is their job should be doing the same.


----------



## neroden (Sep 12, 2014)

One of the problems is that Metrolink doesn't go to most of the employment centers.

You're quite right that all-day both-way services are needed, particularly on the

Ventura County and Orange County lines. But perhaps what is most valuable for Metrolink is the Metro Purple Line to Santa Monica -- that route goes through the biggest clusters of jobs in the entire area. The Downtown Connector will also help, by making it a single transfer to get from Metrolink to the Expo Line to Santa Monica. Extending the Green Line to connect with Metrolink at Norwalk would probably also help a great deal.

(Projected employment map: https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/4682965192/in/photostream/ )


----------



## sechs (Sep 12, 2014)

neroden said:


> One of the problems is that Metrolink doesn't go to most of the employment centers.
> 
> You're quite right that all-day both-way services are needed, particularly on the
> 
> Ventura County and Orange County lines. But perhaps what is most valuable for Metrolink is the Metro Purple Line to Santa Monica -- that route goes through the biggest clusters of jobs in the entire area. The Downtown Connector will also help, by making it a single transfer to get from Metrolink to the Expo Line to Santa Monica. Extending the Green Line to connect with Metrolink at Norwalk would probably also help a great deal.


LACMTA (Metro) and SCRRA (Metrolink) are separate entities (although LACMTA is a member of SCRRA).


----------



## neroden (Sep 14, 2014)

Yes, I know that; my point is that Union Station is in the wrong place, but the Metro improvements will alleviate that. Suppose you're commuting from somewhere on a Metrolink Line to the gigantic job cluster in Santa Monica or on Wilshire Boulevard.

(1) How attractive is that Metrolink commute now?

(2) How attractive will it be when the Purple Line opens?


----------



## CHamilton (Sep 14, 2014)

O.C. Metrolink numbers going up against trend





> In the year ending June 30, the line that runs between San Bernardino and Oceanside posted a 5.9 percent increase in boardings, while the system’s five other lines posted losses between 1.4 percent and 6 percent. The line that runs between L.A. and Oceanside posted a 2.6 percent loss.


----------



## Paulus (Sep 14, 2014)

CHamilton said:


> O.C. Metrolink numbers going up against trend


And will Metrolink respond with reverse commute service as jobs grow around OC stations and housing grows around LA Union? Of course not.


----------



## seat38a (Sep 25, 2014)

CHamilton said:


> O.C. Metrolink numbers going up against trend
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well makes sense since the Inland Empire / OC line is the only line that does not go into LAUS. Its sole purpose is to bring IE people to the job center of OC. The IE trains always arrive full in the morning into OC. Many of these people also park their cars for free at the stations in OC or take the bus that is coordinated with the train's arrival. Out of all the lines, the OC has the best "last mile" coordinated weather by your own car parked for free or the buses that are waiting for the train.


----------



## Riversider (Oct 2, 2014)

Metrolink's competition (Metrorail, busways) is more agile, cheaper, cleaner. Those systems also adapt and scale better in response to demographic, work and economic shifts. Put in terms of percentage of service to its region, Metrolink’s boardings are very low. By comparison the Metrorail and bus system grows every year, at this point reaching into regions served by Metrolink. Metrorail and buses draw off patrons from the Valley and Inland Empire both due to its cheaper cost and more flexible and connected service. Never mind that it is also cleaner.

Old diesel train technologies are dirty, loud and have been slow to adapt to clean air regulations, often claiming exemption from regional pollution standards and municipal noise regulations by relying on federal interstate commerce laws developed not for regional commuter trains but for freight lines. That has not gained it any favor with local communities by the LA River who have suffered late night maintenance operations and trains that sometimes literally idle for days at a time in the same place.

This is not just a question of demographics and the size of the region. It's also about leadership. With the CEO changing three times in recent years, there is clearly an issue. Lot of older staff and maintenance folks have also retired. Maybe that can put in a newer thinking but it may also signify a sinking ship. Current board members should be focusing on their public and fudiciary duties. Clean up the old train system while downsizing and focusing on fewer lines with better service.


----------



## SanDiegan (Oct 2, 2014)

Metrolink is also missing the oppotunity of transporting people to evening and weekend events in Downtown Los Angeles. You can ride the train to the Dodger/Clipper/Laker game, concert or performance, but you can't get home ! The special Angels train is paid for by OCTA. Metrolink has a bleak furture if it reamins limited to the outdated Monday-Friday 9-5 model.

Metrolink should be looking to become Southern California's regional rail service with base service operating at least hourly from 6 am to midnight daily and additional peak hour service. Such service would cover all work schedules, reverse commutes and recreational riders on par with regional rail systems in other large cities such as Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and even Salt Lake City ! It will take a lot of money, and perhaps dedicated regional funding, but first you need the vision.


----------



## seat38a (Oct 9, 2014)

SanDiegan said:


> Metrolink is also missing the oppotunity of transporting people to evening and weekend events in Downtown Los Angeles. You can ride the train to the Dodger/Clipper/Laker game, concert or performance, but you can't get home ! The special Angels train is paid for by OCTA. Metrolink has a bleak furture if it reamins limited to the outdated Monday-Friday 9-5 model.
> 
> Metrolink should be looking to become Southern California's regional rail service with base service operating at least hourly from 6 am to midnight daily and additional peak hour service. Such service would cover all work schedules, reverse commutes and recreational riders on par with regional rail systems in other large cities such as Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and even Salt Lake City ! It will take a lot of money, and perhaps dedicated regional funding, but first you need the vision.


There also needs to be better coordination with Amtrak California. They have an adversarial relationship than a cooperative relationship especially on the dispatch side of things. Amtrak being practically on the hour service makes it so much more convienient than Metrolink. Other than the monthly pass coordination they should do something to better manage.

From personal experience this past Tuesday, both the Metrolink ticket machines were broken at my station. It is also a Amtrak station with a ticket agent but the Amtrak ticket agent could not do squat to help the Metrolink riders. Maybe Metrolink and Amtrak can share ticket agents at joint stations. Compared to complete revenue loss all day, paying some fee to have an agent for situations such as this would probably be helpful vs confused riders not know what to do.


----------



## Bob Dylan (Oct 9, 2014)

Turf Battles between Government Agencies always make Corporate Warfare seem tame!


----------



## Eric S (Oct 9, 2014)

seat38a said:


> Maybe Metrolink and Amtrak can share ticket agents at joint stations. Compared to complete revenue loss all day, paying some fee to have an agent for situations such as this would probably be helpful vs confused riders not know what to do.


Not sure exactly how complicated this would be (I'm sure there are a million reasons it "can't" work), but this would seem to be really helpful anywhere Amtrak and a commuter/regional rail operator share a station.


----------



## seat38a (Oct 10, 2014)

Eric S said:


> seat38a said:
> 
> 
> > Maybe Metrolink and Amtrak can share ticket agents at joint stations. Compared to complete revenue loss all day, paying some fee to have an agent for situations such as this would probably be helpful vs confused riders not know what to do.
> ...


Exactly, and also share the cost of labor so it would be a less of a burden on Amtrak and Metrolink gets a ticket agent without having to find realestate at the station and hire people. It seems so simple, but with two different Government Agencies, they will probably find a way to make this idea cost 5x as much.


----------

