New Rapid Buses and Rapid Express Soon Make Debuts

Four new Metro Rapid and Rapid Express bus lines hit the streets next week.

Starting Sunday, the new Metro Rapid Line 704 - the Santa Monica Boulevard Rapid - and line 760 - downtown-Los Angeles-Long Beach Blvd. - debut. With these two additions, Metro now has 18 rapid bus lines operating across Los Angeles County.

Bus rides are expected to get even faster Monday, when two new Metro Rapid Express lines take off. The Wilshire Boulevard Rapid Express 920 and Hawthrone Rapid Express 940 have fewer stops than traditional Rapid lines. They operate during rush hour and run northbound in the morning and south in the afternoon.

The Wilshire Rapid Express 920 has stops at: Wilshire Boulevard and Vermont Avenue; Western Avenue; Fairfax Avenue; Beverly Boulevard; Westwood and Fourth Street in Santa Monica.

The Hawthorne Rapid Express 940 has stops at: South Bay Galleria Transit Center; Metro Green Line Hawthorne Station; La Brea Boulevard and Manchester Avenue; King and Crenshaw boulevards; King and Vermont Avenue; Broadway and Sixth Street; Union Station.

The new new Rapid Express lines are a test project to see if fewer stops can reduce travel times. If successful, Metro will bring on more of these lines this year.

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