Metro - File #: 2024-0386

• File #: 2024-0386
• Type: Informational Report
• Status: Agenda Ready
• File created: 5/22/2024
• In control: Operations, Safety, and Customer Experience Committee
• On agenda: 7/18/2024
• Title: RECEIVE AND FILE the NextGen Bus Ridership Update.
• Sponsors: System Safety, Security and Operations Committee
• Indexes: All Door Boarding, Boyle Heights, Bus rapid transit, Bus Speed Improvements, Central Los Angeles subregion, City of Los Angeles, Compton, Construction, Design build, Equity Focus Communities, Florence, Gateway Cities (Southeast LA County) Service Sector, Gateway Cities subregion, Huntington Park, Informational Report, Metro Busway G Line, Metro Busway J Line, Metro Rail A Line, Metro Rail B Line, Metro Rail C Line, NextGen Bus Study, North San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor, Off peak periods, Olympic games, Outreach, Peak periods, Plan, Ridership, San Fernando, San Fernando Valley Service Sector, San Fernando Valley subregion, South Bay Cities subregion, South Bay Service Sector, Strategic planning, Surveys, Telecommuting, Transit boards, Transit buses, Travel time, Trip length, Westside/Central Service Sector

Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
JULY 18, 2024

Subject
SUBJECT: NEXTGEN RIDERSHIP UPDATE - Q1 CY2024

Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE

Heading
RECOMMENDATION

Title
RECEIVE AND FILE the NextGen Bus Ridership Update.

Issue
ISSUE

This report provides an assessment of Metro bus system ridership for the first quarter of calendar year 2024 (Q1 CY2024, consisting of the months of January-March 2024) compared to the ridership from the same period of 2019 (pre-pandemic/pre-NextGen Bus Plan). Ridership changes are examined by the day type (weekday, Saturday, Sunday), area, across Equity Focus Communities (EFCs)/non-EFCs, by time period, line/line group, and average passenger trip length changes.

Background
BACKGROUND

* The NextGen Bus Plan was adopted by the Metro Board in October 2020.
* The NextGen Bus Plan was designed to create a fast, frequent, and reliable Metro bus system and to be rolled out in two phases: "Reconnect" and "Transit First."
* Reconnect was the initial phase set to restructure the existing network and was implemented over three implementation dates between December 2020 and December 2021.
* Transit First was an additional phase to maximize the plan's effectiveness through strategic, quick-build capital investments to improve bus speeds and direct saved revenue service hours to bus frequency improvements.
* While the NextGen Bus Plan was fully implemented by the end of 2021, the national operator shortage required Metro to temporarily reduce service by 10% in February 2022 to stabilize service reliability.
* Full restoration of NextGen Bus Plan service levels was completed in phases by December 2022.
* Metro continued to operate the full NextGen bus service levels through 2023 into 2024 with improved reliability due to full bus operator staffing, which was achieved by August 2023.
* However, a 1-2% operator shortage has existed since the December 2023 service change, when the operator requirement i...