Metro - File #: 2023-0132

• File #: 2023-0132
• Type: Informational Report
• Status: Agenda Ready
• File created: 2/21/2023
• In control: Operations, Safety, and Customer Experience Committee
• On agenda: 11/16/2023
• Title: RECEIVE AND FILE the NextGen Bus Ridership Update.
• Sponsors: System Safety, Security and Operations Committee
• Indexes: Access Services Inc., Access-To-Jobs, All Door Boarding, Bus rapid transit, Bus Speed Improvements, City of Los Angeles, Design build, Equity Focus Communities, Florence, Informational Report, Low-Income Fare is Easy (LIFE), Metro Busway G Line, Metro Busway J Line, Metro Rail A Line, NextGen Bus Study, Off peak periods, Peak periods, Plan, Ridership, Safety, San Fernando, San Fernando Valley Service Sector, San Fernando Valley subregion, South Bay Cities subregion, South Bay Service Sector, Strategic planning, Telecommuting, Terminals (Communications), Transit boards, Transit buses, Travel time, Trip length, Venice, Westside/Central Service Sector

Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
NOVEMBER 16, 2023

Subject
SUBJECT: NEXTGEN RIDERSHIP UPDATE
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 as of September 2023 by comparing ridership from 2019 (pre-pandemic/pre-NextGen Bus Plan) through mid-2023. Ridership changes are examined by the day of the week, area, Equity Focus Communities (EFCs)/non-EFCs, time period, line/line group, and changes in average passenger trip length.

The NextGen Bus Plan was approved by Metro's five Regional Service Councils in September 2020 and adopted by the Metro Board in October 2020. The Plan was implemented in three phases between December 2020 and December 2021 to create a network of high-frequency bus lines.

The national operator shortage required Metro to temporarily reduce service by 10% in February 2022 to stabilize service reliability. However, full restoration of NextGen Bus Plan service levels was completed in phases by December 2022. Metro continues to operate the full NextGen bus service levels, improving reliability, and full bus operator staffing was achieved by August 2023, making this an appropriate time to review ridership.

Background
BACKGROUND

The NextGen Bus Study began in 2018 as a reimagining of the Metro bus system to make it more competitive in the overall travel market and reverse the bus ridership decline that occurred over the previous decade. The study identified the need to create a fast, frequent, reliable bus system to take people where and when they need to go. The resulting NextGen Bus Plan was developed based on both robust data analysis and public engagement.

The NextGen Bus Plan was scheduled to be rolled out in two phases; an initial phase (Reconnect) to restructure the existing network, with an additional phase (Transit First) maximizing the Plan's ef...