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 bus.
Locale	Los Angeles County, California
Service type	bus service, bus rapid transit, express bus
Operator	Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA)

Metro Express system map

Metro Express is a form of 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. Buses are identified by numbers in the 400's going to and from downtown and 500's for suburb-to-suburb trips.

There are two routes with an "X" at the end of their route schedule, the 450X and 577X. These two are the only routes that use Metro's blue painted buses (referred to by Metro as "Business Blue") and the only routes with blue timetables. Note that the "X" suffix does not appear on the buses' headsigns. This service concept is planned to be expanded in the future. There are also at least 13 routes traveling by their respective transitways (Harbor Transitway and El Monte Busway).

Metro charges two zones maximum for their express services. Each zone is $0.70 added to the base fare of $1.50. 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). Line 460 has the highest passenger ridership for the Metro Express Lines (Metro Silver Line not included, because the Silver Line belongs to the Metro Liner category). Metro Express Line 460 also has the most frequent service for the express lines.

Routes

X Lines- Premium Express Routes

"X-lines" are Metro's premium express routes; they operate with very minimal stops. Metro labels these X-lines as Metro Express in the timetables.

Route	Terminals		via	Notes
450 [1]	Downtown LA Figueroa-Flower Streets and 5th Street (weekday peaks)	San Pedro Pacific Avenue and 21st Street	In Downtown LA: Figueroa & Flower Streets Express Portion: Harbor Transitway In San Pedro: Pacific Avenue, 1st Street	Operates daily (Mon-Fri: 5:00a-9:20p); (Sa: 5:40a-9:20p); (Su: 7:00a-9:20p) Operated by SB-18
	Artesia Transit Center
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

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.

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 This line has been subjected for cancellation since the new Line 115 stop at the Manchester Silver Line Station has already been completed. Cancellation for Metro Line 442 is pending as of November 2011. Operated by SB-18
460 [4]	Downtown LA Los Angeles Street and 5th-6th Streets	Anaheim Disneyland	In Downtown LA: Figueroa & Flower Streets Express Portion: Harbor Transitway, Century Freeway In South LA: Rosecrans Avenue, Alondra Boulevard	Daily service (Mon-Fri: 5:30a-12:00a); (Sa/Su: 5:30a-12:00a) Has the highest ridership for the Metro Express Lines category. Operates in local service in Downtown LA, and east of the Norwalk Green Line station Operated by GC-1
550 [5]	West Hollywood West Hollywood Public Library	San Pedro 7th Street and Patton Avenue	In Midtown LA: San Vicente Boulevard, Western 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 north of Pico Boulevard and south of Pacific Coast Highway, limited-stop service in other areas except on the Harbor Transitway Operated by SB-18 Peak service north of Exposition Park will be discontinued when the Expo Line opens; as well as off-peak service north of Artesia 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 Fontanet Way and Altadena Drive	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 Operated by SGV-3 and SGV-9
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 Operated by SGV-9
		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

Route	Terminals		via	Notes
439 [8]	Downtown LA Union Station	Culver City Transit Center	In Downtown LA: Figueroa & Flower Streets Express Portion: Santa Monica Freeway In South LA: La Cienega Boulevard, Centinela Avenue	Operates weekday peak hours only (5:20a-8:50a); (2:30p-6:00p) Operates in local service in Downtown LA and south of the West LA Transit Center Operated by SB-5 This line will be cancelled upon the advent of the Metro Expo Line; Metro Local Line 217 will replace the portion between the Culver City and Washington/Fairfax Transit Hubs while the Expo Line replaces the express portion.
534 [9]	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 Operated by WSC-6 and WSC-7

Note: In addition to these routes, Santa Monica Transit line 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.

Metro Silver Line

910 - El Monte Station - Artesia Transit Center

Main article: Metro Silver Line (LACMTA)

Line 910 connects El Monte Station and Artesia 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

• Former Metro Express Routes

References

1. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/450.pdf Line 450 schedule
2. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/577.pdf Line 577 schedule
3. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/442.pdf Line 442 schedule
4. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/460.pdf Line 460 schedule
5. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/550.pdf Line 550 schedule
6. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/485.pdf Line 485 schedule
7. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/487-489.pdf Lines 487/489 schedule
8. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/439.pdf Line 439 schedule
9. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/534.pdf Line 534 schedule