Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
JANUARY 15, 2026
Subject
SUBJECT: NEXTGEN RIDERSHIP UPDATE - Q3 CY2025
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE status update on NextGen Bus Ridership.
Issue
ISSUE
This report provides an assessment of Metro's bus ridership for the third quarter of calendar year 2025 (Q3 CY2025), consisting of July, August, and September 2025, compared to the pre-pandemic, pre-NextGen Bus Plan ridership from the same period in 2019. Ridership changes are examined by day type (weekday, Saturday, Sunday), service area, across Equity Focus Communities (EFCs) and non-EFCs, time period, line/line group, as well as average passenger trip length.
Background
BACKGROUND
* The Metro Board adopted the NextGen Bus Plan in October 2020.
* The NextGen Bus Plan was designed to create a fast, frequent, and reliable Metro bus system and will be rolled out in two phases: "Reconnect" and "Transit First."
* Reconnect was the initial phase to restructure the existing network and was implemented over three 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 in improved bus speeds and direct revenue service hours (RSHs) saved on bus frequency improvements.
* While the NextGen Bus Plan was fully implemented by the end of 2021, the national operator shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic required Metro to temporarily reduce service by 10% in February 2022 to stabilize service reliability.
* Full restoration of the NextGen Bus Plan service levels was completed in phases by December 2022.
* Full NextGen bus service levels have been operated since then into 2025 with improved reliability due to full bus operator staffing, which was achieved by August 2023.
* A 1-2% operator shortage has existed since December 2023, when the operator requirement increased due to gr...
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