Los Angeles has launched Metro Micro, a new on-demand public transportation service that will pick you up and take you on short trips within its service areas for just $1 a ride — making it cheaper than the bus but nearly as convenient as Lyft or Uber.
As of now, these are the areas that Metro Micro operates: Watts/Compton: Monday to Friday (5 a.m. to 11 p.m.) / Saturdays and Sundays (5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.) LAX/Inglewood: Monday to Friday (5 a.m. - 9 p.m.) North Hollywood/Burbank: Monday to Friday (6 a.m. - 10 p.m.) / Saturday and Sunday (10 a.m. - 10 p.m.)
You can pay for your Metro Micro ride by tapping your TAP card on the TAP reader that is available inside the vehicle right when you board. The fare will be deducted from your preloaded balance.
ALL CHILDREN MUST be ?properly secured ? in an appropriate child passenger restraint system or safety belt meeting applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards.? (CA vehicle code 27360.5) If your child age 8 and over needs a booster to fit the seat belt correctly, they need one to ride Metro Micro.
Uber has a similar feature called Women Rider Preference, which isn't available in the U.S. and is offered only for female drivers to indicate their preference. It first launched in Saudi Arabia in 2019 and is available in 29 other markets, including Canada and Australia, the company said.
The train cannot connect with the C Line until the LAX/Transit Center is complete, which is expected in 2024, Chandler explained. In the meantime, Metro will run a “bus bridge,” he said, ferrying riders between the K Line's Westchester/Veterans Station and the C Line's Aviation/LAX Station.
Unfortunately, the LA Metro system does not run 24/7! Most trains run from 4 a.m. until midnight or 1 a.m. on Sunday – Thursday, and all lines (including the Orange and Silver Line Busways) run until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.
Children under age 6 may travel free with a fare-paying adult on bus or rail. Children age 6 and over must pay fare in order to ride. Regular fare is $1.75 and is good for 2 hrs of unlimited transfers in one direction.
Uber versus Lyft: Field test rideFor my trip, both Lyft's and Uber's base fares were $1. Uber's cost per minute was 22 cents higher than Lyft's, but Lyft's cost per mile was five cents less than Uber's. I tipped both drivers $2, as well.
Supply and DemandAs demand for rides increases, the driver supply decreases, and the price of rides increases—as demand goes up, the cost of an Uber gets more expensive.
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