The Los Angeles subway system, called the Metro, has introduced late night service on its most popular line for the holiday season. [official press release]

Between Friday, November 21st, and Saturday, December 27th, the Metro Red Line, which usually runs until about midnight or so, will run until 3 AM on Friday and Saturday nights.  Sponsored by popular businesses in Los Angeles, this initiative is meant to be good for the environment, good for the travelers, and good for the street.  With holiday parties and events, this time of year usually has a spike in drunk driving.  This is also good for the businesses as a way to get people out late without them having to worry about parking and getting home.

Well, it’s about damn time! I’ve always thought that it was ridiculous that the Metro stopped so early.  If you don’t want people drinking and driving, why would you limit their means of getting home?  Most bars around here close at 2 AM.  At that time of night, the subway is no longer running and most buses either don’t run or run about once an hour.  Lucky for me, I can walk home from my favorite late-night hangouts.

I don’t know if this will make much of a difference in people’s habits.  Many people in L.A. are firmly attached to their cars.  Despite traffic and lack of parking, people seem to prefer driving everywhere.  It’s a status symbol to arrive in a cool vehicle, and I think Los Angeles still has a stigma that public transportation is for those who can’t afford anything else.  Growing up back east, where everyone takes the subway or bus and aren’t embarrassed about it, all I can say to L.A. is “Get over yourselves!”

The Los Angeles Metro system is very good, and is getting better.  Why would you want to put up with traffic, gas, and the hell that is finding a parking spot when you can take the subway?  Plus, you don’t have to worry about watching your alcohol consumption because you’ll have to drive home later.

I take the Metro almost every single day.  I’m 2 blocks from a stop, and my work is about a 10 minute walk from another stop.  It takes me about 25 minutes to get to work, and during that time I can listen to music or read a book. I have happily relied on the Metro system (back when it was called the MTA) since I moved to Los Angeles from Boston 8 years ago.  While I do wish it ran later and extended further West, it is still a pretty good system.  One-way fare is only $1.25 and the convenient all-day pass is $5, which is good on both Metro buses and subway rides.  Fortunately for me, my employer provides me with a monthly pass.

The Los Angeles Metro Red Line, from my own personal experience, has been pretty reliable and clean.  It runs from Union Station in downtown L.A. to North Hollywood in the Valley.  In between, it has various stops at Universal City, Hollywood, Los Feliz, Miracle Mile, and more.  There’s other lines, such as the Pasadena-serving Gold Line, the Valley’s Orange Line, and the Blue Line which goes down to Long Beach, but I’ve had the most experience with the Red Line.

I hope that because of this special holiday extension, more people in Los Angeles will give the Metro system a try.  It really would be better for our environment and keep our streets safer this holiday season!