Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
FEBRUARY 20, 2025
Subject
SUBJECT: NEXTGEN RIDERSHIP UPDATE - Q3 CY2024
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 2024 (Q3 CY2024) consisting of July, August, and September 2024 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)/non-EFCs, time period, line/line group, and 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 to be rolled out in two phases: "Reconnect" and "Transit First."
* Reconnect was the initial phase to restructure the existing network, and it 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 during the COVID-19 pandemic 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, achieved by August 2023.
* However, a 1-2% operator shortage has existed since the December 2023 service change, when the operator require...
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