Metro - File #: 2023-0190

• File #: 2023-0190
• Type: Informational Report
• Status: Agenda Ready
• File created: 3/15/2023
• In control: Operations, Safety, and Customer Experience Committee
• On agenda: 4/20/2023
• Title: RECEIVE AND FILE a report on Metro Bus and Rail Service Plan for Fiscal Year 2024.
• Sponsors: System Safety, Security and Operations Committee
• Indexes: Azusa, Budget, Budgeting, Gateway Cities (Southeast LA County) Service Sector, Gateway Cities subregion, Informational Report, Light rail transit, Long Beach, Metro Divisions, Metro Rail A Line, Metro Rail E Line, Metro Rail L Line, NextGen Bus Study, Off peak periods, Plan, Railroad commuter service, Regional Connector Transit Corridor Project, Ridership, Rolling stock, Santa Monica, Westside Cities subregion, Westside/Central Service Sector

Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
APRIL 20, 2023

Subject
SUBJECT: FISCAL YEAR 2024 METRO BUS AND RAIL SERVICE PLAN

Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE

Heading
RECOMMENDATION

Title
RECEIVE AND FILE a report on Metro Bus and Rail Service Plan for Fiscal Year 2024.

Issue
ISSUE

Each fiscal year, Metro's Operations budget reflects assumptions on bus and rail service levels planned for the year. This report will outline those assumptions for Fiscal Year 2024.

Background
BACKGROUND

Metro's biannual service change program allows Metro to improve the customer experience through revised transit routes and schedules. The implementation of new transit services resulting from major capital projects is also captured in each fiscal year's operating budget.

The COVID pandemic resulted in multiple service changes being implemented to respond to the impacts on bus and rail ridership and operator availability since April 2020. Bus service was fully restored in September 2021, and rail service was improved to 8-minute weekday peak light rail and 10-minute peak heavy rail (subway) service.

Unfortunately, the COVID Omicron variant active at the end of 2021/early 2022, coupled with a national shortage of bus operators, resulted in a significant shortage of available operators and increases in canceled service (as high as 15%-20%). To stabilize the system, a strategic 10% bus service reduction and an adjustment to 10-minutes for light rail peak service, and all day, all week 15-minute heavy rail service was made in February 2022.

Bus service levels were gradually restored in 2022, with service added back in June, September, and December 2022 as new bus operator hiring permitted. As of December 2022, bus service is back at the full pre-COVID 7 million annualized revenue service hours on which the NextGen Bus Plan is based. Rail service levels remain reduced but meet current demand, which is continually monitored. The initial operating ...