D Line Expansion Drives Rail Ridership In LA County, Metro Says

LOS ANGELES, CA — Metro ridership increased by 9.5% in May compared to the same period in 2025, driven by a significant 62% jump on the D (Purple) Line following the opening of three new stations, officials announced Monday.

Total system ridership for May rose to over 26.9 million riders, according to Metro. Weekend rail ridership was especially strong, increasing by 18%, as riders used light rail systems more to get to jobs, entertainment, dining and cultural destinations.

"The opening of the new D Line stations is already making a meaningful difference, connecting more Angelenos to ... destinations across our region," Metro Board Chair Fernando Dutra said in a statement.

"These ridership numbers show that when we invest in fast, reliable and convenient transit, people respond. Seeing rail ridership reach its highest levels in more than six years — and continue to grow for a sixth consecutive month — is a strong sign that Metro's investments are delivering real value to the communities we serve," Dutra added.

In May, rail ridership totaled 6.47 million rides. The new D Line stations added between 8,000 to 10,000 new riders per day. Additionally, weekday rail ridership increased by 8% and weekend ridership increased by 18%.

Several events such as the L.A. County Fair, Jazz at LACMA, and a concert by Demi Lovato at the KIA Forum contributed to the increase as riders chose Metro to get to these destinations.

Metro noted there were year-over-year accomplishments, such as the following:

• A Line ridership increased by 11.3%, and also experienced ridership growth on weekends;
• B Line had a 7% increase with the biggest gains on weekends;
• D Line ridership increased by 62% with high growth on the weekends at nearly 80%;
• E Line experienced continued ridership growth by 4%;
• The K Line experienced a 48% increase with weekends seeing the highest increases at 62.7% and 60.5% for Saturdays and Sundays, respectively.

Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins said tens of thousands more people are choosing Metro rail because it's a better alternative than "sitting in traffic."

"We expect the rail numbers to increase as more people discover the convenience as well as the cost and time savings of using the system," Wiggins said.

Meanwhile, bus ridership was slightly down in May. Bus ridership decreased by 4.9% year-over-year, resulting in an overall ridership decrease of 1.8%.

Bus ridership makes up most of Metro's ridership, with the numbers at 20.49 million for the month.

City News Service