With gas prices soaring in Southern California and beyond, more commuters are leaving their cars behind and turning to Metrolink.
ByWith gas prices climbing past $6.20 per gallon in the Los Angeles area, more commuters are leaving their cars behind and turning to Metrolink and other mass transit for their daily trips.
"There's been a huge influx in the people on the trains," said Autumn Beno-Morris, who commutes to downtown Los Angeles by rail. She said driving is no longer financially realistic.
"Right now there is no way I could afford to drive into the city every day. I commute over 70 miles each way and with the prices of gas, it's impossible for me to keep up with that.
""There's a cost prohibitive nature to driving right now," said Meredith Yeoman, the agency's director of communications. According to Yeoman, Metrolink recorded a 4% jump in ridership when gas prices spiked. Thealso reported an increase, with March ridership up more than 8% compared with March 2024. The trend aligns with the distance many riders travel.
The average Metrolink passenger currently commutes 36 miles each way.
"You think about that in round-trip terms, at 72 miles in a day, the average car probably gets 25 miles to the gallon, so you're talking three gallons right there," Yeoman said. , with lower fares for riders traveling within the LA Zone. A Metrolink ticket also includes free transfers to any Metro bus or rail, easing concerns about the "last mile" of a commute.
"On the trains especially I have the flexibility to work, check out if I want to watch a show, read a book. In my car, I'm literally stuck in the gridlock," she said. As fuel prices remain high, transit officials expect more commuters to consider rail as a practical -- and less stressful -- alternative.
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