By Lookout Staff

February 2 -- Students, seniors and Downtown workers will find it easier to hop on a Big Blue Bus after the system adds a new line and boosts the number of trips on popular routs this Sunday.

The new line, which links Santa Monica College with the neighboring communities of Palms and Mar Vista, is expected to alleviate traffic and parking woes around the popular college, bus officials said. SMC students and employees can ride for free with a valid ID.

“The Big Blue Bus recognizes that SMC is a major educational center in our city and we want to ensure that all of its students and employees have an easy way to get to the school using public transportation,” said Stephanie Negriff, the director of transit service.

The new line will run twice in the morning, starting at 9:10 a.m. at Pico at Westwood Boulevards, and twice in the afternoon, starting at 1:36 p.m. at SMC’s main campus at 20th at Pearl Streets. A third morning trip at 8:10 a.m. will be added Monday, February 12, the first day of spring semester.

Neighbors and shoppers can also use the route to access popular destinations, such as the Westside Pavilion, Ocean View Community Garden, the Santa Monica Airport and SMC’s Corsair Field.

The Blue Bus will also increase service on the well-traveled Line 11, making it easier for seniors to get to doctor’s appointments at Saint John’s Hospital and Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center. It will also make it easier for students to get to John Adams and Lincoln middle schools, and for shoppers to frequent the Montana Avenue shopping district.

Buses along the line will run every 15 minutes Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Buses will also run every 30 minutes between 6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Monday through Thursday when the college is in session.

To better serve commuters between Downtown Santa Monica and Downtown L.A., the Big Blue Bus will add six additional weekday trips to Line 10.

One trip will be added for morning commuters traveling from Downtown Santa Monica to Downtown L.A., while three new morning trips and two afternoon trips will be available for commuters traveling into Santa Monica.

Earlier weekday service from Union Station/Pats Plaza to Downtown Santa Monica (which will begin at 5:36a.m.) will also help commuters get a jump start on their day, transit officials said.

Line 10 riders this month will be asked to share their opinions on a Downtown L.A. “demonstration route” that the Big Blue Bus will be testing between Monday, February 12th and Friday, February 17th.

Line 10 riders who want to weigh in on whether the new demonstration stops should be adopted permanently can complete a survey that will be available from Line 10 drivers or at www.BigBlueBus.com.

New line schedules, timetables and routes are available on www.BigBlueBus.com. All Big Blue Bus riders and concerned community members are encouraged to share their feedback about the service enhancements that will be starting Sunday by calling customer service at 310-451-5444, TDD 310-395-6024, by e-mailing Bus-info@BigBlueBus.com.