LOS ANGELES AIRPORT TO EXPAND FLYAWAY BUS SYSTEM TO WESTWOOD TO INCREASE TRAVELER CONVENIENCE, EASE TRAFFIC CONGESTION
(Los Angeles, California – May 21, 2007) The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners today approved a one-year license agreement with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to establish nonstop bus service from Westwood to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The action permits Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) to expand its LAX FlyAway airport bus service on Thursday, June 14 to a third service location.
The pilot program for service from Westwood is part of LAWA’s ground transportation initiative to expand its FlyAway bus system to improve passenger convenience and reduce traffic congestion. Under the $65,000 license agreement with the Regents of the University of California, LAWA will have an additional two one-year renewal options to use the UCLA location for the FlyAway service.
"This pilot program will enable us to determine the feasibility of permanent FlyAway service in Westwood,” said Alan Rothenberg, president of the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners. “The students and staff of UCLA, Westwood-area residents and Westwood Village businesses will benefit from this convenient, low-cost, nonstop bus service to LAX."
The LAX FlyAway in Westwood will be located on Kinross Avenue, two blocks west of Westwood Boulevard. Parking for immediate drop-off/pick-up of passengers will be available in UCLA Parking Structure 32 adjacent to the FlyAway bus stop. Overnight parking will not be allowed in the structure Monday through Thursday. Weekend overnight parking for the FlyAway will be available from 3 p.m. Friday until 7 a.m. Monday in Parking Structure 32. Beginning July 1, weekend overnight parking will be allowed in UCLA Parking Lot 36 across the street from the FlyAway bus stop.
"Westwood joins Union Station and Van Nuys in the FlyAway network of express bus routes to the airport," said LAWA Acting Executive Director Samson Mengistu. "The service will reduce traffic congestion and vehicle emissions from single-passenger vehicles traveling to and from LAX by encouraging the use of high occupancy vehicles."
The Westwood location, like the Union Station and Van Nuys locations, will offer optional Airline and Baggage Check-in service to passengers.
The buses will be scheduled from Westwood and LAX (both directions simultaneously) every 30 minutes on the hour and half-hour between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m. FlyAway buses drop-off and pick-up their passengers curbside in front of each of the airport’s nine airline terminals.
As part of the service introduction, LAWA officials are offering unlimited free rides on the LAX FlyAway in Westwood from June 14-30.
On a separate matter, the Board also approved an increase in the LAX FlyAway fare for adults from $3 one way to $4, at all three FlyAway locations. The increase takes effect July 1, 2007. The fares for children age 2-12 remains the same at $2 one way, and free for children under 2 years.
Expansion of the bus service is a requirement of the LAX Master Plan Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program and one of the conditions of the settlement of lawsuits filed against the LAX Master Plan. The newest location is the third site in a plan to have a total of nine LAX FlyAway locations throughout Southern California by 2015.
LAWA began operating the FlyAway service from Van Nuys Airport in 1975, and the FlyAway at Union Station started its operation March 2006. Bus schedules and parking information for those locations are available on www.lawa.org.
