Stop FlyAway from vanishing into thin air

Flying home for the weekend could get a little more difficult, as the FlyAway shuttle is considering discontinuing service to Westwood because of low ridership. But there are steps that can be taken to increase revenue for the bus route, and the university may need to foot part of the bill.

In a status report to the board that operates the FlyAway, statistics show that the FlyAway program’s Westwood-LAX route lost about $1 million last year and has been losing money since its inception in 2007 because of low ridership. The FlyAway program has four routes, all traveling to and from LAX: Van Nuys, Union Station, Irvine and Westwood.

The Westwood route is losing the most money, and it’s not feasible to expect a city struggling financially to continue funding a program that is at a loss. To keep the Westwood service alive, the city should partner with UCLA to come up with solutions for the funding issues, said Fernando Torres-Gil, a UCLA professor of social welfare and public policy and a member of the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners.

Instead of shutting down the service as has been officially recommended, the city should first work to make the shuttle more effective by taking steps to reduce costs and increase ridership. If UCLA has to pay to keep the service alive, which may be a potential solution, the university can do things to make the shuttle easier for students to access.

For starters, the price of the FlyAway is artificially low at $5 each way. Taking a SuperShuttle van to the airport costs between $16 and $24 from Westwood, and a cab can run upward of $50. Raising the price by a few dollars wouldn’t hurt demand much because students will almost always choose the cheapest option.

Next, the FlyAway should reduce its frequency. In 2009, the FlyAway went from traveling half-hourly to hourly. It’s clearly time to reduce frequency again. The bus is likely used most by students who are going home to Northern California or out of state for weekends and breaks, largely using the shuttle only Thursday through Monday.

To that end, Tuesday and Wednesday service should be eliminated. These days likely have the fewest riders and so would be the most expensive to operate. Those who need to get to the airport midweek will have to take a private service like the SuperShuttle, but most students won’t experience that more than a few times, if ever, during their four years in Westwood.

But low ridership is still the root of the problem. The location of the bus stop should be moved closer to campus, because the UCLA community primarily uses the FlyAway.

That’s not to say that those unrelated to UCLA should be excluded. But because Los Angeles World Airports is approaching UCLA about the issue, it is an indication that the service should be made easier for students. Currently, the stop’s location is a hindrance for many because it is a mile away from the dorms.

It would be better to have a stop at Ackerman Turnaround and a location on the Hill ““ at De Neve turnaround or in the parking lot across the street from Hedrick Court. Either way, if UCLA ends up paying for the FlyAway in any way, it should move the pickup location closer to campus and students.

If even these options can’t convince the city’s Board of Airport Commissioners to keep a reformed Westwood-LAX FlyAway route, UCLA should not aim to recreate a FlyAway type of service, as a million-dollar service seems too expensive. Instead, it should only provide shuttles during move-in week, move-out week and the major breaks to ease students’ travel issues.

With an increasing proportion of out-of-state students and number of students overall, having reliable and affordable transportation to the airport when students need it is something that the university should aim for, whether that means working with the city or providing our own service during breaks.

Do you use the FlyAway? Email Ramzanali at [email protected]. Send general comments to [email protected].