Getting to USC

Sometimes the crushing realization comes to us University of La Verne kids that our small-town school community doesn’t have all we need. Fortunately, we’re only a train ride away from one of Los Angeles’ primal academic and cultural hubs: The University of Southern California.

On more than one occasion, I’ve found that the ULV library, and the La Verne library don’t have what I need to craft a well prepared research paper, and I’ve been directed to one of USC’s libraries.

Even besides my nerd reason of travel to USC, there are other reasons why one might need to go there. Perhaps you are looking into grad school. Perhaps you want to see a play. Perhaps you want to attend a fabulous campus party. Perhaps you are attending a convention. Or perhaps you’re in the area and want to visit the on-campus Wolfgang Puck Express. There are many reasons to go, but here the problem: how to get there.

Unlike La Verne’s modest sized campus, USC is spread throughout an intimidating portion of downtown(ish) Los Angeles, which even strikes a sense of panic in yours truly. I’d be considerably more inclined to utilize all of USC’s resources if I knew exactly where I was going- on campus, as well as the route to get to, so here are some tips to making the trek less frightening and more of an adventure. Sans car style.

In this blog:
• Free shuttle to and from USC and Union Station
• Shuttle schedule and stops
• What to do if you can’t get aboard the USC shuttle at Union Station
• What to do if you’re traveling outside of the USC shuttle times

What’s the fastest, easiest way to USC?
Answer: the free USC bus shuttle at Union Station!
Here's how to get to USC using the free shuttle service, and then I'll break it down and explain step-by-step for the confused.

1) Take Metrolink to Union Station ($7.25 each way on weekdays, $5.50 weekends)
2) Board the USC shuttle outside the Union Station exit at the Patsaouras Transit Plaza
3) Exit at the JEP house (after a stop at 34th and McClintock Ave.)
4) Take USC shuttle as needed

STEP 1
Taking the Metrolink
Again, find the newared La Verne Metrolink stop at 205 Santa Fe Street in Pomona. Resort back to my second blog about all you need to know about the Metrolink.

STEP 2
Is the free USC shuttle only for USC students? Or can anyone ride it?
But here’s the deal with the USC shuttle. First of all, it’s technically for USC students/faculty. And technically, that does not mean us. But a friendly USC department of transportation lady explained that that the drivers rarely check IDs, and seemed to encourage me to take the bus anyway full knowing that I’m not a student at the school.

She pointed out that since most of us look like students anyway, the drivers rarely ask for proof. I even asked about teacher-aged bus riders, and if they would be more prone to an ID check, but she again replied that the drivers shouldn’t discriminate.

So what’s the deal with the shuttles?
The shuttle that I’m concerned with runs to the UPC (University Park Campus) – not to be confued with the HSC (Health Science Campus), which is smaller and three miles northeast of the downtown “main” campus. The shuttle runs between three total stops. Union Station, 34th St. & McClintock Ave, and your destination: the JEP House(Joint Educational Project House), which is on the Northern side of the USC campus at Trousdale and 34th Street.


Where on Earth do I find the shuttle at Union Station and where exactly is it dumping me off?
Board the USC-bound shuttle at Union Station’s bus area in the Patsaouras Transit Plaza, bus zone 4. As with the Fly Away service, you are going to exit Union Station on the end near the Red Line entrance.
Shuttle Schedule
Allegedly the shuttle runs from Union Station to USC in the mornings, and in the afternoons it runs the other way, from USC to Union Station. Why not simultaneously run the shuttle both ways, you ask. Honestly, this makes no sense to me, either. But stay tuned for alternative routes to and from USC and Union Station, to be found in the last portion of this post.

Note: this particular shuttle only runs Monday through Friday.

To USC:
On the hour, every hour starting at 7:00 a.m., then 3:25 p.m., 3:45 p.m., 3:55 p.m., 4:05 p.m.

To Union Station:
4:25 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 4:45 p.m., 4:55 p.m., 5:05 p.m., 5:20 p.m., 5:35 p.m., 6:00 p.m., 6:10 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:05 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.

For more info, visit the USC transit web page

STEP 3
Arriving to the JEP House on the USC campus
USC’s campus is pretty hefty, so your best bet is to download a pdf map from their website. Below is an overall idea of where you’ll be getting off at USC



STEP 4
Using USC's campus shuttle
There is also a campus tram that runs at this USC campus. For an interactive tram map, click here.

There are three main shuttle routes on the UPC campus during the weekdays. Shuttles run from 7:30 a.m. till 11 p.m. or 12:00 a.m., depending on the route.
To see specific weekday routes: Route A, Route B, Route C, click here
Below those three shuttles, find the weekend shuttle which runs from 10:30 p.m. to 2:45 a.m.

Further Questions about USC’s free shuttle service?
Call the USC Transportation Services at (213) 740-3575. They are quite helpful.

But what happens if I ride the tram the one day that they’re asking for a valid USC student ID?
It’s always good to have a backup. This also is ‘Plan B’ for if you’re traveling outside of regular USC shuttle hours. At this point, you turn to the downtown-specific bus system: DASH. The DASH route you’re interested in to get to USC is Route F.

Route F runs downtown every 10 minutes from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Here is the breakdown of taking the DASH bus to get to USC, which will be dissected into explanatory paragraphs:

Getting to USC from Union Station using DASH
1) Once at Union Station, get on the Metro Red or Metro Purple line (free if you rode in on Metrolink)
2) Ride for 2 stops, exit at 7th Street/Metro Center
3) Find yourself at 7th Street and Flower, or walk to Flower from Hope.
4) Board the Route F bus (cost: $.25)
5) Exit
6) If needed, board USC campus tram

Break it down!

STEP 1
Arriving at Union Station, getting to the Metro
I list this route as a backup because you must take an extra step. Here’s what to do:
When arriving at Union Station, instead of promptly getting on a bus, you must first travel two stops on the red or purple line. Signs for the Red Line are visibly marked at Union Station. If you traveled in on the Metrolink, you don't need to purchase a subway ticket for the usual $1.25, score!) Enter the Wilshire-bound purple subway or the North Hollywood-bound red subway: either will do. Union Station is the starting point for both the red and purple line, so you don’t have to worry about boarding a train that’s going the wrong direction.

STEP 2
Exiting the Metro
Go two stops and exit at 7th Street.


STEP 3
Getting to the DASH Route F stop from the Metro exit
When exiting the train, you have the option to exit 7th street at Flower or Hope. You will want to exit onto Flower. If you accidentally exit on Hope, don’t worry! When you’re standing on the corner of Hope and 7th, take a right onto 7th, and the next intersection will be 7th and Flower, which is where you want to be when you’re getting aboard the DASH: Route F.

STEP 4
The DASH Route 7 bus info
The bus arrives at Flower and 7th every ten minutes, starting at 5 past the hour.
Here be a schedule for Route F

There are only six remaining stops on this line once you board, and depending on where you want to go to at USC, you may choose a different exit. But not all stops take you to USC, so it’s really important to choose wisely between 2 stops: Vermont at Exposition, and Jefferson at Hoover. Now, I'm still somewhat confused because the Route 7 map leads us to believe that there are more than these six stops (after boarding at 7th & Flower). Confusing? Yes, that's why I know few who actually take the bus. But a last resort is a last resort.


STEP 5
Where to exit the Route F bus onto the USC campus
It all depends on where you’re going. Remember, USC’s campus is slightly larger than La Verne’s, so if you’re pressed for time you probably want to be in the closest area to your event instead of walking through the entire campus (and running risk of getting hopelessly confused).
So here’s the breakdown of the stops on the DASH Route F line, and a list of prominent buildings near each stop.

The entire campus map is too large to put here, so go to the USC map & directions web site and download a pdf of University Park Campus Map, and from here you can look up specific buildings.

Bus Stop: Vermont at Exposition
Important buildings near this stop:
• Parkside Arts & Humanities Residential College
• Seaver Science Center
• Hughes Electrical Engineering Center
• Lindhurst Galleries
• Wong Conference Center
• Loker Hydrocarbon Institute
• Andrus Gerontology Center
• Public Safety
• Denney Research Center
• Technical Theatre Laboratory

Bus Stop: Jefferson at Hoover
Important buildings near this stop:
• JEP House
• Shrine Auditorium
• Stoops Education Library
• Leavey Library
• College Academic Services
• Social Work Center
• Instructional Media Services
• Norris Cinema Theatre
• Social Sciences
• Student Union
• Commons
• Newman Recital Hall
• Annenberg School for Communication
• Everybody's Kitchen

If you need to get somewhere else on campus that isn’t around one of these two stops, resort back to the campus tram.

Things to consider about your USC trip:
• If you are taking the Metrolink into Union Station, it's important to remember the schedule so you don't become stranded in downtown LA. The last train leaves back east promptly at 7:50 p.m., and you'd better be on it.

• The USC Union Station shuttle only runs to USC in the mornings, and to Union Station in the evenings

• The USC Union Station shuttle only runs on weekdays. For weekends, resort to the Metro & Dash Route F combination