EL CAJON, Calif. — The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System’s new Copper Line started running Sunday morning.
The Copper Line is a new East County Connector Trolley serving stations between El Cajon Transit Center and Santee Town Center.
The Copper Line serves each station every 15 minutes most of the day and runs from approximately 5:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.
The line was added to "improve the reliability of the Green and Orange Lines, not just in East County, but throughout the system," according to the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System website.
The Copper Line service replaces the existing Green and Orange Line Trolley Service north of El Cajon transit Center. Riders traveling north of El Cajon must transfer to the Copper Line at the El Cajon Transit Center, where both the Green and Orange Line stop service.
Green Line Trolley frequency will be increased to East County later at night, and all Sunday trips will end at El Cajon Transit Center instead of half the trips stopping short at the SDSU Transit Center.
According to the SDMTS website, approximately 8% of current riders on the Orange and Green Lines are expected to now make a transfer to or from the Copper Line.
SDMTS operates one or two-car trains on the Copper Line, rather than three-car trains. The number of cars will reduce the wait times and lessen traffic at the Mission Gorge Road and Cuyamaca Street intersection, according to the SDMTS website.