New L.A.-Ventura County Bus Route’s on a Roll With Riders

In the four months since buses began ferrying commuters between downtown and Ventura County along a new route that cuts through the Valley, ridership levels on the line have risen at an unparalleled pace, according to officials.

When Commuter Express 422 started service Feb. 16, 50 passengers boarded.

The line--operated by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation in conjunction with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority--now averages about 1,500 riders daily, said Phil Aker, a transportation department planner.

“I’ve never seen a line grow like that,” Aker said. “We’re packing them on the bus.”

Between 4:50 and 9 a.m., Commuter Express 422 buses make 15 northbound trips from their origin near USC, traveling through Hollywood and the Valley to a terminus in Thousand Oaks.

During the evening rush hour, from 2 to 6:30 p.m., the buses make 14 trips in the other direction.

Officials adjusted the schedule in May because during peak hours buses were needed every 15 minutes rather than every 20, Aker said.

Aker said most commuters use the buses to get from downtown to the Valley and back, rather than all the way to Thousand Oaks. For much of the trip the buses follow the Ventura Freeway, but they make several stops near Valley offramps, with one point near Warner Center among the most popular, Aker said.

For more information about the route, or other commuter express routes, call the Department of Transportation at 808-2273 (no area code is required).