Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
NOVEMBER 20, 2025
Subject
SUBJECT: DECEMBER 2025 SERVICE CHANGE
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE status report on the bus and rail service changes effective Sunday, December 14, 2025.
Issue
ISSUE
Metro makes service changes twice a year, each June and December, to improve service for our riders. These service changes are also coordinated with bus and rail operator assignment changes required by the labor contract. The December 2025 service change will focus on enhancements to routes and schedules to help customers conveniently and reliably travel where and when needed, as well as restoration of bus services impacted by the January 2025 Eaton and Pacific Palisades fires.
Background
BACKGROUND
Metro bus service levels were fully restored as of December 2022 and are being delivered reliably.
The most recent service change was implemented in June 2025. There were no issues encountered with the implementation. New C and K Line light rail schedules were also implemented to reflect the opening of the new LAX/Metro Transit Center on June 6, 2025, providing continuous passenger service on the K Line south of the Westchester/Veterans Station to LAX/Metro Transit Center and Redondo Beach.
Average weekly bus on-time performance has improved from 73.4% for Q3 CY2024 (July to September 2024) to 78.2% for Q3 CY25 (July to September 2025) in response to the many improved bus schedules from the last service change, additional field supervision, operator hiring, and low bus service cancellation rates, all of which have contributed to improved reliability since the June 2025 service change.
Rail on-time performance remained high at 99.4% for Q3 CY25 (July to September 2025) compared to 99.2% for Q3 CY24 (July to September 2024).
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Rail Service:
The A Line has a new schedule reflecting the extension from the APU/Citrus College Station to the Pomona North Station implemented on September 19, 2025.
Bus Service:
The December 2025 bus service changes will include a range of customer experience improvements, with enhancements to routes and schedules to help people more conveniently and reliably travel where and when they need to. Most notably, three lines will be restored to normal service after being on detour since the January 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires.
Improved Reliability:
Operator and customer feedback and system data reports on ridership and on-time performance are reviewed to identify lines with continuing low on-time performance or crowding. Of Metro’s 117 bus lines, 60 weekday, 46 Saturday, and 37 Sunday bus schedules have had adjustments made for the December 2025 service change to better match current traffic levels and travel times in support of improved on-time performance. These schedule changes will also help ensure operators have enough time to take rest breaks at the end of each trip. New schedules can be viewed at mybus.metro.net <https://mybus.metro.net>.
Adjusted Service levels:
To better align with actual ridership, 8 lines had a trip added to provide extra capacity to accommodate increased ridership, while 12 lines on weekdays and 1 line on weekends will have a small reduction in trips (between 1 and 4 trips less) in line with ridership. Line 51 (Avalon Bl) will also have Saturday service adjusted to 10 minutes from 7-8 minutes in line with ridership and the NextGen Bus Plan recommended frequency. The service hours saved will be reallocated to other bus improvements.
Improved Connectivity:
The upcoming service changes below reflect a mix of temporary detours, service restorations, and targeted enhancements that will moderately affect system connectivity. Construction-related reroutes may reduce direct access and delay travel near key destinations, while restored service in previously disrupted areas due to the Eaton and Pacific Palisades fires will improve local access specifically for Lines 602, 660, and 662. Late-night trip rerouting strategy is designed to enhance transfer connections. Although some riders may experience longer walks or adjusted travel patterns, the system maintains core connectivity and continues to prioritize access, frequency, and operational adaptability.
Below is a summary of the bus service change. Additional details and maps are provided in Attachment A.
• Line 30 (Pico Rimpau Transit Center - Little Tokyo via Pico Bl): Due to the LA Convention Center Expansion & Modernization Project, Line 30 will detour from Pico Bl and back to Pico Bl via Union Av, Olympic Bl, and Figueroa St in both directions. This detour will begin on December 4, 2025, and is expected to be in effect for 18 months.
• Line 60 (Downtown LA - Artesia Station via Long Beach Bl): To enhance late-night travel options, three late-night trips will now serve Artesia Station for better late-night service to/from this local bus hub and rail station. These three trips will either originate or terminate at Artesia Station rather than operating to/from Downtown Long Beach, avoiding duplication of A Line rail service. Regular overnight owl bus service to/from Downtown Long Beach will begin around midnight when rail service ends.
• Line 106 (Monterey Park - Cal State LA - LA Union Station - Little Tokyo - Montebello via Garvey Av, 1st St): Will be renumbered to Line 74 to align with Metro’s standard route numbering system.
• Line 161 (Thousand Oaks - Agoura Hills - Calabasas - Warner Center - Canoga Park): Due to ongoing construction of the Wildlife Bridge, Agoura Road will be closed between Liberty Canyon Road and Chesebro Road for approximately 6-7 months. During this period, Line 161 will operate on a detour route via U.S. Highway 101, utilizing the on- and off-ramps at Liberty Canyon Road and Chesebro Road.
• Line 206 (Hollywood - Vermont/Athens Station via Normandie Av): Line will be rerouted northbound from Hollywood/Edgemont to its existing layover location at Fountain Av/Vermont Av in Hollywood via Hollywood Bl, Vermont Av, Sunset Bl, Lyman Pl, and Fountain Av to avoid delays and better serve key destinations. Southbound service will remain unchanged.
• Line 602 (Westwood - Pacific Palisades via Sunset Bl): The detour route implemented due to the Pacific Palisades Fire will be discontinued and service fully restored. Route, stops, and service levels will be restored with frequencies unchanged.
• Line 660 (Del Mar Station - Altadena): The detour route implemented due to the Eaton Fire will be discontinued, and service fully restored. Route, stops, and service levels will be restored with frequencies unchanged.
• Line 662 (Del Mar Station - Altadena): The detour route due to the Eaton Fire will be discontinued and service fully restored. Route, stops, and service levels will be restored with frequencies unchanged.
Customer Information
As is the practice for all service changes, printed materials summarizing the changes will be distributed starting two weeks ahead of the service change (summary brochure, service change notices, and updated schedules for each impacted line) on buses in a dedicated service change section on Metro.net, via social media and Source posts, and on signage installed at all impacted bus stops to inform riders. The November 2025 Metro Service Council meetings provided an overview of the changes. Implementation will also be supported by staff assigned to stops with more significant changes, as well as Metro Ambassadors throughout the system during the week leading up to the change to inform riders of route changes.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
The December 2025 service change focuses on improving customer experience for our riders, especially residents of Equity Focus Communities (EFCs) who rely on transit for their mobility. It includes revised bus schedules to enhance service reliability (on-time performance), extra bus trips for added capacity, increased bus service frequencies for reduced wait times, and rerouted bus services for greater connectivity and improved access to opportunity.
Of the 60 weekday, 46 Saturday, and 37 Sunday bus lines with schedules revised for improved reliability, 27 weekday, 19 Saturday, and 14 Sunday lines have over 50% of their route miles operating in EFCs. Overall service cancellations are low and should remain very low (< 2.0%) as additional new bus operators are hired to maintain operator staffing levels.
The continued operation of the entire 7 million revenue hours of service based on the NextGen Bus Plan allocates the highest service levels to EFCs, where high-quality transit is a key to enhanced mobility for residents. Metro will continue to receive feedback on the changes directly from riders via Metro Ambassadors and other agency staff deployed to inform riders about the most significant changes at key bus stops and on key bus lines serving EFCs through the Metro Customer Service call center, the Metro website, social media blog (The Source), and at the five Metro Service Council meetings held monthly across the Metro’s service area and located in or very close to EFCs.
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.
This item supports Metro’s systemwide strategy to reduce VMT through planning and operational 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.
These changes directly support the recovery of Metro bus ridership. This recovery, in part, represents people returning to transit post-COVID, in place of single-occupant auto travel. The changes are based on an evaluation of the effectiveness of Metro bus service, with changes designed to improve service. This improvement process will help further expand the attractiveness of both Metro bus and rail systems as an alternative to single-occupant vehicle travel and to increase Metro transit system ridership. Because the Metro Board has adopted an agency-wide VMT Reduction Target, and this item supports the overall function of the agency, this item is consistent with the goals of reducing VMT.
*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
These service changes support Metro Strategic Plan Goal 1: Provide high quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time traveling. The service changes also respond to the sub-goal of investing in a world-class transit system that is reliable, convenient, safe, and attractive to more users for more trips.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Staff will implement the December 2025 Service Change on Sunday, December 14. Marketing of the changes began on Monday, December 1, and will continue beyond the December 14, 2025 implementation date.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - December 2025 Bus Service Changes Overview
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Joe Forgiarini, Senior Executive Officer, Service Development, (213) 418-3400
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Conan Cheung, Chief Operations Officer, (213) 418-3034
