Big Turnout for First Night of Shuttle Between USC and L.A. Live
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
USC's Song girls perform in front of a double-decker bus brought in for the kickoff of the new shuttle service.
LOS ANGELES — Maybe it was the free pizza, the promise of free movies or the chance to see Pete Carroll, but nearly 1,000 USC students made their way to Figueroa street on Thursday night for the kickoff of shuttle service between the campus and L.A. Live.
USC football coach Pete Carroll, men's basketball coach Kevin O'Neill and women's coach Michael Cooper joined the Laker girls, Song girls and the USC band for the festivities.
Perhaps no one was more excited about the new offering than O'Neill, who lives just across the street from L.A. Live. He said he may just use the new route, which picks up right next door to his offices in the Galen Center, to get back and forth between home and the office.
London-style double-decker buses were brought in for the kickoff, but future nights will be run using USC Transportation's bus fleet.
The service will pick up at The Lab (3500 Figueroa) and 901 Bar (Figueroa and 28th) at USC and next to the Regal Cinemas at L.A. Live. Buses run every half hour between 6pm and 2am on Friday, 2pm to 2am on Saturdays and 4pm to 10pm on Sundays.
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Dana Gabbard on November 06, 2009, at 03:54PM – #1
When I attended in the 80s a shuttle on Friday and Saturday night ran between the campus and Westwood. Wonder how long that lasted. In about a year this shuttle won't be needed once the Expo line first phase opens linking 'Sc and L.A. Live.
Does this run when USC has a football home game? The Westwood shuttle didn't on those weekends.
Brigham Yen on November 07, 2009, at 02:16AM – #2
It's such a smart move by USC and AEG to act early on to establish a strong connection between the university and the new entertainment complex, and downtown in general.
I agree with you, Dana, that this shuttle will not be needed once the Expo (Aqua) Line opens in 2011. By then, it'll be common knowledge among students that the light rail station in front of their school (at Trousdale and also Vermont) goes to Downtown LA.
What's even more exciting is watching the process of Angelenos getting trained to ride mass transit. FIDM students are already pros at it, but I also look forward to the day when I see "USC shirts" throughout LA as students figure out that the new station in front of their school is access to all that LA has to offer.
JM on November 10, 2009, at 09:24AM – #3
Are these shuttles for USC students only or can Downtowners take the shuttle to USC from LA Live as well?
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on November 10, 2009, at 11:21AM – #4
JM: My understanding is that the shuttles aren't checking any sort of ID, but I can't say that I've tried it myself.
Jon on November 30, 2009, at 02:27PM – #5
Have any non-students tried taking the shuttle yet? It'd be a nice free means to get to some nice free chamber music at USC: http://ow.ly/HiIc.
Jon on November 30, 2009, at 02:28PM – #6
Rats. Just saw that the shuttles only run Friday through Sunday. When the heck is the Expo Line opening?