Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
APRIL 16, 2026
Subject
SUBJECT: EMBRACING NEURODIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE the report of the Neurodiverse Rider Experience Survey & Engagement (Initiative) (Attachment A).
Issue
ISSUE
Metro is committed to providing a transportation system that is inclusive, accessible, and welcoming to all riders. In response to Board Motion #32.1, authored by Directors Mitchell, Yaroslavsky, Dupont-Walker, Butts, Sandoval, and Padilla (Attachment B), Metro initiated a comprehensive effort to gather feedback from neurodivergent individuals, including those with autism and other developmental disabilities, as well as their caregivers, on their experiences using public transit and opportunities for improvement. Through a systemwide survey, mystery rides, listening sessions, and peer agency research, Metro gathered input on barriers to using public transit and potential opportunities for improvement. The findings from this Initiative will help inform future service and customer experience enhancements.
Background
BACKGROUND
Metro strives to provide a safe, clean, reliable, and welcoming transit system for all riders. Delivering an inclusive and accessible system has long been central to Metro’s mission and extends beyond meeting the minimum requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, reflecting Metro’s commitment to serving the diverse needs of Los Angeles County.
As Metro continues to advance accessibility across the system, there is growing recognition that riders with non-apparent disabilities, including those who are neurodiverse, may experience barriers that are less visible but still significant when using the Metro system. These barriers can include sensitivity to noise, smells, and crowding; challenges navigating complex or unclear information; and difficulty adapting to unexpected service disruptions, such as delays, reroutes, or mechanical issues.
To better understand these experiences and identify opportunities for improvement, Metro worked in partnership with community-based organizations to engage neurodiverse individuals and caregivers and gather insight on how the Metro system can better support their needs. This partnership ensures the effort was informed by lived experience and grounded in the perspective of those most directly affected.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Metro undertook a comprehensive engagement effort to better understand the experiences of neurodiverse riders through mystery rides, a neurodiverse focused survey, listening sessions, and peer agency research. Collectively, these efforts provided both qualitative and quantitative insight into how neurodiverse riders interact with the transit system, where barriers exist, and where targeted improvements can have the greatest impact (attachment A). The Initiative engaged over 1,600 respondents, including both neurodiverse individuals and caregivers, and incorporated more than 200 mystery rides to capture real-world experiences with bus and rail service.
Across all engagement methods, findings were notably consistent. The most significant pain points identified by neurodiverse riders are smells, cleanliness, noise, crowding, personal safety, and unclear or unpredictable travel conditions. These pain points closely mirror those reported by Metro’s broader rider population. This alignment underscores that improving core service conditions benefits all riders. However, for neurodiverse riders, these challenges can have a more pronounced impact, as heightened sensitivity to sensory conditions and difficulty adapting to unexpected changes can make navigating the system independently more challenging.
The findings support a three-part response: strengthening the core conditions of the transit experience that affect all riders; advancing targeted strategies that address the specific needs of neurodiverse riders and their caregivers; and promoting broader inclusion through partnerships and workforce opportunities, while recognizing that some recommendations identified in this report face practical limitations within the operational, safety, and resource constraints of a large public transit system.
RESPONSE TO SURVEY FINDINGS
First, Metro will continue to prioritize improvements to the core conditions most frequently identified through the survey, including safety, rider behavior, cleanliness, odors, crowding, and bus stop comfort. Participants identified increased staff and security presence as the most frequently suggested improvement, along with stronger enforcement of rider etiquette rules, improvements to bus stop infrastructure, and increased cleaning frequency. These findings reinforce that improvements to the fundamentals of the transit experience will benefit all riders, while also addressing issues that can have a more acute effect on neurodiverse riders due to sensory sensitivities and difficulty adapting to uncertainty.
Consistent with these findings, feedback on bus stop conditions, such as a lack of shade, seating, lighting, and overall comfort, reflects broader systemwide concerns. It is important to note that the majority of bus stops across Los Angeles County are owned and maintained by local jurisdictions, not Metro. However, Metro continues to play a leadership and convening role in advancing improvements. In Spring 2025, Metro hosted a Bus Stop Summit bringing together local partners to elevate the importance of bus stop infrastructure, and a follow-up summit is planned for 2026 to continue this work. Metro has also secured federal grant funding to support bus stop improvements across the region, reinforcing its commitment to improving conditions in partnership with local agencies.
In recent years, Metro has made substantial investments in safety, security, and cleaning across the system. These efforts include increased uniformed presence, expanded ambassador and outreach programs, and enhanced cleaning protocols for vehicles, stations, and high-traffic areas. These investments directly address the top concerns identified through this initiative and are foundational to improving both real and perceived conditions within the system. Metro has significantly increased its investment in cleaning over the past several years, nearly doubling total funding from approximately $169 million in FY22 to over $310 million proposed for FY27. The most substantial increases occurred early in this period, with rapid year-over-year growth as Metro expanded cleaning resources and intensified efforts systemwide. Funding levels have continued to rise, reflecting a transition from rapid expansion to sustained, elevated investment. Overall, this sustained growth demonstrates a clear and ongoing commitment to improving system cleanliness, including addressing odors, and maintaining a higher standard of the rider environment over time.
Second, Metro will advance targeted strategies that improve predictability, confidence, and support for neurodiverse riders. The Initiative found that uncertainty, unclear or inaccurate trip information, and difficulty navigating the system can reduce comfort and confidence in independent transit use. Participants also identified clearer online and in-app information, more information at bus stops, more in-vehicle information, improved customer service training, and travel training as important strategies to improve the rider experience. In response, a key recommendation is the establishment of a Practice Transit Experience Program, designed to provide structured, low-pressure opportunities for riders and their caregivers to learn and rehearse using the transit system.
This program would include two complementary components. First, a simulation-based experience modeled after airline programs, in which participants are guided through a full transit journey, from trip planning to boarding and riding, in a controlled environment without the pressure of an active trip. This approach allows participants to build familiarity, reduce anxiety associated with uncertainty, and gain confidence through repetition. Second, is an expansion of Metro’s existing travel training efforts through the On the Move Riders Program to provide real-world, guided transit experiences. This component would focus on hands-on learning in live service conditions, equipping participants with the skills needed to navigate the system independently over time. Peer agency research similarly identified customer travel training as an effective strategy for helping neurodiverse riders build confidence, understand trip planning, recognize stops, and navigate the system more independently.
In parallel, Metro will evaluate opportunities to enhance digital tools to better support neurodiverse riders. As part of the rollout of the new Metro Micro App and broader mobile platform improvements, staff will assess how app-based features can improve trip planning, predictability, and rider confidence. This includes analyzing the feasibility of providing real-time or approximate information on crowding levels on buses and trains, as well as other features that may reduce uncertainty and support more informed travel decisions
The Initiative also underscored the critical role of frontline staff in shaping the customer experience. Listening session participants identified staff behavior and the need for improved customer service training as important issues, and peer agency research highlighted neurodiversity specific staff and operator training as a key component of a more inclusive transit environment. Metro will develop and implement specialized training for all frontline employees. This training will be developed in partnership with a community-based organization with expertise in neurodiversity and will focus on effective communication, de-escalation, and strategies to support riders experiencing sensory or cognitive challenges.
Metro also reviewed emerging best practices that support riders with non-apparent disabilities, including programs designed to provide a simple, voluntary way for individuals to communicate that they may need additional assistance while traveling. One widely adopted model is the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program, which allows individuals with non-visible disabilities to discreetly signal that they may need extra time, patience, or support. Participants typically wear a sunflower-branded lanyard, badge, or wristband that is recognized by trained staff across participating organizations, including airports, airlines, and transit providers worldwide. The program is voluntary and designed to empower riders to request support without requiring them to disclose personal medical information.
A complementary approach used by some transit agencies is the “I Need Help” card, which allows riders to present a simple, pre-written card indicating that they may need assistance with navigation, communication, or other aspects of their trip. These cards can be especially helpful for individuals who may have difficulty verbally communicating their needs in stressful or unfamiliar situations.
Together, these programs provide low-cost, easy-to-implement tools that can improve communication between riders and frontline staff, reduce anxiety, and support more positive interactions throughout the transit journey. Metro will explore the feasibility of implementing similar tools and programs tailored to Los Angeles County's needs. This will include evaluating how such programs could be integrated with staff training, customer experience efforts, and broader accessibility initiatives to ensure they are effective, culturally appropriate, and widely understood by both riders and employees.
Through this exploration, Metro aims to identify practical strategies that enhance dignity, independence, and ease of use for riders with non-apparent disabilities, while reinforcing a more inclusive and supportive transit environment for all.
In addition to the rider-focused recommendations, staff will also advance broader inclusion efforts through a pilot Neurodiverse Workforce Inclusion Program designed to create pathways for neurodiverse individuals to access employment opportunities within Metro. This effort will focus on partnerships with community-based organizations to support recruitment, job readiness, and long-term success, while ensuring Metro is prepared to effectively onboard and retain neurodiverse employees. Expanding neurodiversity within the workforce can help Metro strengthen its culture of inclusion, better reflect the communities it serves, and build greater organizational awareness of the diverse needs of its riders.
Additionally, Metro will expand partnerships with neurodiverse-serving organizations by incorporating them into station activation and placemaking efforts. This includes creating opportunities for participation as vendors, performers, and community partners, supporting both economic opportunity and a more welcoming, inclusive transit environment.
Taken as a whole, these efforts reflect a balanced approach: strengthening the core conditions of the transit experience that affect all riders, while advancing targeted strategies that support the specific needs of neurodiverse individuals. Through this work, Metro continues to move toward a more inclusive, accessible, and customer-focused transportation system.While the report identifies a range of thoughtful and aspirational recommendations, it is important to note that some may present practical limitations within the operational, safety, and resource constraints inherent to a large public transit system
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
Equity is at the core of Metro’s mission, and this Initiative represents a critical step in ensuring that the transit system works for everyone, including those whose needs have historically been less visible in transportation planning. Neurodiverse individuals are an essential part of Los Angeles County’s communities. Yet too often, their experiences navigating public transit have not been fully understood or intentionally addressed.
This Initiative reflects Metro’s commitment to listen, learn, and act. By directly engaging neurodiverse riders and their caregivers through surveys, mystery rides, and listening sessions, Metro is elevating voices that are not always centered in traditional planning processes. The findings make clear that while many challenges are shared across all riders, the consequences can be more significant for neurodiverse individuals, impacting their independence, confidence, and ability to fully participate in daily life.
Designing and operating a transit system that works for neurodiverse riders ultimately creates a better system for everyone. Improvements in safety, cleanliness, clarity of information, and overall customer experience benefit all users, while targeted strategies, such as practice transit programs, specialized training for frontline staff, and inclusive workforce opportunities, help remove barriers that have limited access for this community.
Metro’s commitment extends beyond compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VI. This work is about advancing dignity, expanding opportunity, and ensuring that public transportation serves as a gateway, not a barrier, to education, employment, healthcare, and community life. By embedding neurodiverse perspectives into system design, operations, and customer experience, Metro is taking meaningful steps toward a more inclusive, responsive, and equitable transportation system for all.
Vehicle_Miles_Traveled_Outcome
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED OUTCOME
VMT and VMT per capita in Los Angeles County are lower than national averages, the lowest in the SCAG region, and on the lower end of VMT per capita statewide, with these declining VMT trends due in part to Metro’s significant investment in rail and bus transit.* Metro’s Board-adopted VMT reduction targets align with California’s statewide climate goals, including achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. To ensure continued progress, all Board items are assessed for their potential impact on VMT.
As part of these ongoing efforts, this item is expected to contribute to further reductions in VMT. This item supports Metro’s systemwide strategy to reduce VMT through customer experience activities that will improve and further encourage transit ridership, ridesharing, and active transportation. Metro’s Board-adopted VMT reduction targets were designed to build on the success of existing investments, and this item aligns with those objectives.
*Based on population estimates from the United States Census and VMT estimates from Caltrans’ Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) data between 2001-2019.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The recommendation supports strategic plan goal #2, Deliver outstanding trip experiences for all users of the transportation system; and goal #3, Enhance communities and lives through mobility and access to opportunity. The service improvements to be made as a result of the feedback from the initiative will directly address and support these goals.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon receipt of this report, staff will advance implementation of the strategies identified through the Neurodiverse Rider Experience Survey and Engagement Initiative. Efforts will focus on advancing targeted programs designed to support neurodiverse riders, including practice transit experiences, workforce initiatives, staff training, and expanded partnerships with community-based organizations.
Metro will continue to coordinate with internal departments, local jurisdictions, and external partners to advance these efforts, and will report back on implementation progress, including near-, medium-, and long-term actions.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Neurodiverse Rider Experience Survey & Engagement Initiative Report
Attachment B - Motion #32.1 Embracing Autism and Neurodiversity in Transportation
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Althea Bovell, Deputy Chief, Civil Rights Programs (213) 418-3168
Elba Higueros, Deputy Chief of Staff, (210) 922-6820
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Nicole Englund, Chief of Staff, (213) 922-7950
