Ridership at New Station Holds Steady
After three days of operation, ridership at the newly opened Camarillo Metrolink station is holding steady, transit officials said Wednesday.
About 90 commuters have boarded the emergency station’s two morning trains each day, said Mary Travis, director of transit programs for the Ventura County Transportation Commission.
“We’re pretty happy with the numbers right now,” Travis said. “It’s too soon to really know how many people will make a habit of taking the train from Camarillo.”
Since the Jan. 17 earthquake, ridership on the 58-mile Ventura County line, which now starts in Camarillo and stops in Moorpark and Simi Valley before heading to Los Angeles County, has jumped about 40% to 1,500 passengers each way.
The increased ridership prompted county transit officials to open the temporary Camarillo station with the hope that it will help ease traffic congestion on quake-damaged freeways.
Transit officials are now working to extend the train 10 miles to Oxnard.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Friday agreed to include Oxnard in the earthquake disaster zone, enabling the county to apply for federal reimbursement for emergency train service to the city.
Travis said commission staff is negotiating a train service plan with the Southern California Regional Rail Authority, which operates Metrolink.
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