Field trips on school or charter buses can be boring. Being stuck in traffic on a bus is no way to get start off a trip! As students from Canyon Springs High School in Moreno Valley found out, there’s more than one way to take a field trip. In April, a group of 100 students and their chaperones embarked on a memorable excursion to the California Science Center by riding Metrolink and the LA Metro light rail system.

The school trip was organized by the RCTC’s Metrolink Marketing team. RCTC sponsors trips for schools and community groups to promote sustainable public transportation options.

The trip started bright and early at 5:30 a.m. as students were dropped off at the Moreno Valley/March Field Metrolink Station. Students were provided with Metrolink tickets, Metro TAP cards, and a how-to-ride information to guide them on their journey along with a sleek RCTC bag.

A week before the trip, RCTC gave an overview presentation on how the Metrolink and Metro systems work and to remind the students to stay safe around the train tracks. The journey from Moreno Valley to Los Angeles on the 91/Perris Valley Line was a smooth one as students enjoyed the passing views of Riverside, Orange and Los Angeles counties.

“What I most enjoyed about my ride on Metrolink were the seating areas, especially the tables,” said Canyon Springs freshman, Marely G. “I really liked the fact that I was able to walk around and still be able to talk to my friends.”

At Los Angeles Union Station, a Metrolink representative met the group and gave a brief history of the historic building on their way to the B Line (Red) subway. On the B Line, the students made a simple transfer at the 7^th Street Metro Center for the Metro E Line (Expo). After a quick walk from the station through the beautiful Exposition Park Rose Garden, they finally made it inside the California Science Center.

95% of students who took a post-trip survey said they were satisfied with their Metrolink trip and over 80% of the students surveyed said they would ride Metrolink again. As freshman Marco T. put it, “This trip was 10 times better because I was on the Metrolink.”

The trip also helped improve the students’ view on public transportation with 70% of students recognizing the trip’s positive influence on their perception of train travel. “This trip was way more exciting since we got to travel quite a lot to get to our destination and see lots of new things along the way compared to other trips,” Marely said. “I normally take buses which are less exciting than riding the trains and subways.”

Metrolink excursions and group trips are a wonderful way to expose students and other the benefits of public transit. RCTC and Metrolink work closely together to ensure these trips for Riverside County groups are positive, safe and educational. To learn more about how you can take your class, club, troop, or any other large group, please contact us.