The Pasadena Star News looks at the effect the spike in gas prices is having on Metro's Gold Line, reporting that ridership rose 10 percent last month over ridership numbers reported in March 2010. And here's your example of a commuter who is forgoing the drive: The Pasadena-Star News tracks down a Boyle Heights resident who commutes every day to Pasadena, and says that he was spending $20 a day on gas for his van. Yikes! Meanwhile, ridership numbers have much to do with salaries--compare the economic background of riders on the Gold Line, ridden by those with a higher median yearly income than those who take other lines, according to the paper.
"A look at ridership on Metro's other rail lines shows it fell last month compared to March 2010, and that includes the Red Line, one [of] the most heavily used. It saw a drop from 155,463 in March 2010 to 144,093 last month. Green Line and Blue Line ridership also decreased last month, MTA figures showed.
Those lines traverse areas of high unemployment, at or above the county average of 12 percent, including downtown and South Los Angeles. Pasadena's unemployment rate, meanwhile, stood at about 9 percent." [Metro Gold Line at Del Mar station via Curbed flickr pool member LA Wad]
· SPECIAL REPORT: Higher gas prices create boon for Gold Line ridership [Pasadena Star News]
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