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Elated Commuters Say Metro's New Expo Line Will Save Them Time, Money

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Metro's new Expo Line began service over the weekend, but many commuters will be taking their first ride Monday morning.

Metro dedicated the first phase of its $930 million Expo Line, which connects Exposition Park to the La Cienega area, on Friday.

The 7.6-mile route is providing rail service to the traffic-choked Westside for the first time in 50 years.

"I am so excited about taking this," commuter Brenda Lamotte told CBS2's Kara Finnstrom. "This saves me a lot of time, gives me time to read, saves me gas. That's very important."

Train tickets run $1.50 per board, but discounts are offered for seniors, students and regular monthly commuters.

Lamotte, who works in downtown Los Angeles, says she expects the new service to save her $150 a month.

The $1.5 billion second phase of the project, which will run all the way to Santa Monica, is expected to be completed in four years.

Metro officials are expecting 64,000 riders a day by 2030, which will rival the busy Long Beach-Downtown Los Angeles route.

The Exposition Park stop, which is directly across from the University of Southern California, will connect thousands of students to the campus and ease traffic on Exposition and Martin Luther King boulevards.

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