Metro Board Members and executives held a media event in Van Nuys on Friday morning to announce the start of the brand new “Valley-Westside Express” bus service which officially begins service Monday, December 15, and will provide transit riders with a faster, easier way to travel between the San Fernando Valley and West Los Angeles.
The new service will take full advantage of the recently completed network of I-405 carpool lanes that now travel both north and south through the Sepulveda Pass. The new Valley-Westside Express will provide peak hour nonstop service between the Sepulveda Metro Orange Line Station in Van Nuys and Westwood.
Metro riders can save at least 20 minutes of time in each direction compared with current Metro bus service between the Valley and Westwood. Metro’s 45-foot advanced composite buses will provide weekday service approximately every 15 minutes during peak morning and afternoon periods.
Express bus riders will also benefit from an easy transfer to the Orange Line that connects to destinations including Woodland Hills, Chatsworth and North Hollywood. Regular transit fares will apply for the Valley-Westside Express.
Other important points:
•The Valley-Westside Express can be ridden for the cost of a regular Metro fare — there are no express surcharges. Those who pay with a TAP card get two hours of free transfers.
•The Valley-Westside Express will also provide service along Van Nuys Boulevard corridor to and from Arleta, making all Rapid stops along the way.
•The Valley-Westside Express will stop at two Orange Line stations — Van Nuys and Sepulveda. Both stations offer free parking for those who want to park and then ride the new bus service.
•Metro will monitor ridership of the new line and is prepared to add service based on demand.
•Metro also plans to extend the line south from Westwood to the Expo Line’s Sepulveda Station when it opens in 2016 to create even greater transit connections for the West L.A. area.
Here is the timetable and map for the new Valley-Westside Express:
The Valley-Westside Express is one of several bus service improvements going into effect in mid-December. All service changes can be found by clicking here.
For example, Metro will combine two Rapid lines into one, improving mobility in the Valley. Metro Rapid 761, which travels between Pacoima and Westwood via Van Nuys Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard, will be combined with Metro Rapid Line 741 that travels between Northridge and Tarzana via Reseda Boulevard for the creation of a new Metro Rapid Line 744.
Click here for the new Line 744 timetable and map
And Metro Rapid 734 will be extended to Westwood via Sepulveda Boulevard with Metro Local 234 providing weekend, early morning and late night service to Westwood via Sepulveda Boulevard.
Click here for the new Line 734 timetable and map
In May 2014, Metro and Caltrans officially opened the 10-mile northbound I-405 carpool lane between the I-10 and U.S. 101, completing the entire carpool lane network on the I-405. The new carpool lane can be used by carpools, vanpools and buses that carry more passengers in fewer vehicles through West L.A. and the Sepulveda Pass.
