Public transportation has become the most popular way for University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) students to commute, surpassing walking and driving for the first time, according to UCLA Transportation’s State of the Commute 2025 report released on Apr. 21.
The shift highlights a growing trend toward sustainable travel among the university community, with more students, staff, and faculty choosing buses and trains over single-occupancy vehicles. This change is seen as significant due to its potential impact on reducing carbon emissions and traffic congestion.
According to the report, nearly 34% of off-campus students identified public transit—including UCLA’s BruinBus—as their main commuting method. The distribution of Bruin U-Passes reached a record high with over 20,000 passes issued in fall quarter 2025. Faculty and staff participation also increased through programs like the Commuter All-Access Pass, which provides unlimited rides on thirteen transit agencies across greater Los Angeles. Almost nine percent of UCLA employees reported using public transit to commute—more than double the rate among Los Angeles County workers overall.
The State of the Commute report compiles data from annual surveys given to undergraduates, graduates, faculty, and staff. It examines how members of UCLA’s population—numbering more than ninety thousand—travel to campus each year. The findings show a steady rise in public transit use for three consecutive years while highlighting other sustainable options such as bike programs and electric vehicle charging stations.
Driving alone continues to contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions; a gasoline-powered car traveling thirty miles round-trip twice weekly produces about one metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent per academic year. Upcoming infrastructure projects like LA Metro’s D Line Extension into Westwood by fall 2027 and future rail lines are expected to further support sustainable commuting choices at UCLA ahead of major events such as the Olympic Games.
The University of California Los Angeles has been associated with Nobel laureates and MacArthur Fellows according to its official website. The university is recognized for excellence in scholarship, arts, athletics according to its official website, fosters diverse perspectives through academic programs according to its official website, operates on a 419-acre campus according to its official website, has gained international acclaim according to its official website, and functions within the University of California system according to its official website.