Metro Expanded All-Door Boarding to Vermont Avenue Metro Rapid Bus Line 754 Effective Sunday, June 24

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority expanded all-door boarding to the busy Vermont Avenue Rapid Bus Line 754 to speed up transit trips and reduce the time buses dwell at stops. 

The expansion comes on the heels of a successful all-door program launched last year on the popular Silver Line, where all-door boarding has helped increase on-time performance by 10 percent.  

“We’re going to keep improving bus service to make the journey faster, easier, and greener,” said Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chair Eric Garcetti. “Allowing riders to enter the bus from all doors will give people a quicker and more convenient way to travel through our busiest corridors.”  

Riders will be able to board Line 754 at any door of the bus whether it be the front, middle or rear door, and pay their fare by tapping their TAP card on the fare validator that is installed next to each door. Riders will no longer have to line up and wait to board at only the front door of the bus.  

"Faster boarding means faster buses and a better, more convenient ride for everyone who relies on our transit system," said Mike Bonin, a Metro Board Member and Chair of the City Council's Transportation Committee. "The immediate improvement riders will see from all door boarding is a preview of what's possible through NextGen's comprehensive investment in better bus service, and I am excited to continue working to improve the customer experience."  

Those paying cash will be able to board at the front door, where they will be able to buy a TAP card and load it with fare. To encourage more people to use TAP cards, Metro will be handing out TAP cards along the Vermont Corridor.  

In October, Metro Rapid Line 720 will expand to all-door boarding service along Wilshire Boulevard — which is the busiest line in the system, carrying close to 30,000 boardings on an average weekday. Line 754 carries about 20,000 boardings on an average weekday.

Metro has begun the process of reimagining and restructuring its bus system to better meet the needs of current and future riders by launching the NextGen Bus Study, an 18-month open and transparent process in which the public will have numerous opportunities to review and provide needed input on any proposed changes or bus service enhancements that may be developed.  

“Making the bus system more user-friendly, faster and convenient will go a long way toward growing our ridership as we continue to look at ways to improve the Metro bus system,” said Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington.  

The goal of the NextGen Bus Study is to design a new bus network that is more relevant, reflective of, and attractive to the residents of Los Angeles County. The redesigned bus service network will dramatically improve service.