Meeting_Body
FINANCE, BUDGET, AND AUDIT COMMITTEE
FEBRUARY 19, 2026
Subject
SUBJECT: AUDIT OF MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES FOR THE PERIOD OF OCTOBER 1, 2024, TO DECEMBER 31, 2024
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Final Report on the Statutorily Mandated Audit of Miscellaneous Expenses for the Period of October 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024 (Attachment A).
Issue
ISSUE
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) performed an audit of Metro miscellaneous expense transactions processed from October 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024. This audit was performed pursuant to Public Utilities Code section 130051.28(b) which requires the OIG to report quarterly to the Board of Directors on the expenditures of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) for miscellaneous expenses such as travel, meals, refreshments, and membership fees.
Background
BACKGROUND
All Metro expenditures are categorized into various expense accounts and recorded in Metro’s Financial Information System (FIS). Metro employees have several options for seeking payment for miscellaneous expenses incurred, such as check requests, purchase cards, purchase orders, and travel & business expense reports. Each option has its own policies, procedures, or guidelines.
The Accounting Department’s Accounts Payable Section is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of payment for miscellaneous expenses.
This audit covered a review of Metro's miscellaneous expenses for the period of October 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024. For this period, miscellaneous expenses totaled $3,169,913 with 671 transactions. We selected 55 expense transactions totaling $1,149,366 for detail testing.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Findings
The audit found that the transactions reviewed generally complied with policies, were reasonable, and adequately supported by required documents. However, we noted the following issue:
Non-Compliance with Metro Business Travel Guidelines (GEN 65)
Metro’s Business Travel Guidelines (GEN 65) Section 2.7 states: “For foreign travel, hotel lodging and meals will be reimbursed based on the maximums published by the U.S. Department of State Standardized Regulations - Maximum Travel Per Diem Allowances for Foreign Areas.” The guidelines further state that exceptions to these maximum allowances may be approved by the Executive Officer in extraordinary circumstances for special training, legislative activities or to ensure the successful conduct of business.
During the period under review, a Metro employee from the Operations Department traveled to Berlin, Germany. Our review of this expense, found that lodging rates for several nights exceeded the rate maximum for lodging published by the U. S. State Department. During the period of travel, the lodging Per Diem for Berlin, Germany was $247 per night. There were at least three nights where the lodging exceeded $500 per night. Our review of the supporting documentation, found no justification memo approving the higher amount.
The Workforce Services and Operations Departments should ensure that all Metro Business Travel Guidelines (GEN 65) have been adhered to before approving TBE Reports.
OBSERVATION
During our review of miscellaneous expenses for the period of October to December 2024, we identified 19 employees/board members that traveled internationally at a cost of $118,773. Thirteen of the 19, traveled to Paris, France to prepare for the 2028 Olympics. Five employees attended the InnoTrans Conference in Berlin, Germany to discuss and obtain ideas on how to improve bus operations, and one employee traveled to Seoul, South Korea to participate in the teardown and inspection of pilot vehicles for rail operations. Of these internationally traveling employees who TBE Report was reviewed as part of our sample selection, we found a non-compliance as mentioned above.
Metro’s Chief Executive Office provided a response to this observation on January 27, 2026 (Attachment B).
RECOMMENDATIONS
We recommend the following:
Workforce Services
• Travel Administrator should ensure that expenses charged are in accordance with Metro’s Business Travel Guidelines (GEN 65) before approving the Travel Business Expense (TBE) Report.
• The Travel Administrator should ensure that TBE reports with expense items that exceed the maximum travel per diem allowances are accompanied by a justification memo and are approved by the unit chief.
Operations
• Approving Officials should ensure that expenses charged are in accordance with Metro’s Business Travel Guidelines (GEN 65) before approving the Travel Business Expense (TBE)
Report.
• Approving officials should ensure that TBE reports with expense items that exceed the maximum travel per diem allowances are accompanied by a justification memo and approved by the unit chief.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
It is the OIG’s opinion that there are no equity considerations or impacts resulting from this audit.
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.
While this item does not directly encourage taking transit, sharing a ride, or using active transportation, it is a vital part of Metro operations, as it contributes to fiscal responsibility and reports on miscellaneous expenditures of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). The Metro Board has adopted an agency-wide VMT Reduction Target, and this item supports the overall function of the agency and 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
Recommendations support strategic plan goal no. 5.2: Metro will exercise good public policy judgment and sound fiscal stewardship.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Metro management will implement corrective action plans.
Attachments
Attachment A - Final Report on Statutorily Mandated Audit of Miscellaneous Expenses for the Period of October 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024 (Report No. 26-AUD- 02)
Attachment B - Interoffice Memo
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Dawn Williams-Woodson, Audit Manager (213) 244-7302
Yvonne Zheng, Senior Manager, Audit, (213) 244-7301
George Maycott, Senior Director, Special Projects, (213) 244-7310
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Karen Gorman, Inspector General, (213) 922-2975
