Metro Rail Extends Hours for Staples Center Patrons

Late-night Metro Rail and bus service from downtown Los Angeles will be extended under a three-month trial program to determine whether patrons of Staples Center and the Music Center will use public transportation.

The new program was approved Thursday by Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials, who called the move a “modest” plan to boost lagging ridership at Staples Center.

From April through June, the last southbound Blue Line train to Long Beach will leave the Pico Station, next to Staples Center, at 11:47 p.m.--20 minutes later than the last train now.

Two additional northbound trains will be added to the schedule, departing for the downtown 7th/Metro station at 7th and Figueroa streets at 11:14 p.m. and 11:34 p.m. The last northbound train now leaves the Pico Station at 10:54 p.m.

Two additional Red Line trains will also be added to the schedule, pushing the last westbound departures to the Wilshire district and Hollywood from the 7th/Metro Station back 10 minutes, to 11:42 p.m. and 11:46 p.m. respectively.

Trips will also be added to Metro Bus Lines 30 and 81, which run next to Staples Center, enabling the MTA to provide bus service every 15 to 30 minutes until midnight. Currently, the frequency is once an hour at that time.

The program will cost $160,000. Agency critic John Walsh noted MTA estimates that show 500 Staples Center patrons using the rail service now. Averaging the $160,000 to a cost of $320 per rider, he suggested it might be cheaper to send them home in limousines.