Metro - File #: 2015-0655

• File #: 2015-0655
• Type: Informational Report
• Status: Passed
• File created: 5/15/2015
• In control: Board of Directors - Regular Board Meeting
• On agenda: 6/18/2015
• Final action: 6/25/2015
• Title: RECEIVE AND FILE status report on response to Board Motion No. 8: MTA Ridership (March 19, 2015) to develop an Action Plan to increase Metro ridership.
• Sponsors: Executive Management Committee
• Indexes: All Door Boarding, American Public Transportation Association, Barriers (Roads), Budgeting, Bus rapid transit, Customer service, First/Last Mile, Informational Report, Maps, Metro Exposition Line, Metro Orange Line, Metro Red Line, Metrolink, Motion / Motion Response, Outreach, Partnerships, Payment, Plan, Promotion, Ridership, Safety and security, Security, Service disruption, Strategic planning, Subsidies, Surveys, Transfer on 2nd Boarding, Transit buses, Weekends

Date	Action By	Action	Result
6/25/2015	Board of Directors - Regular Board Meeting	APPROVED	Pass
6/18/2015	Executive Management Committee
6/17/2015	Finance, Budget and Audit Committee

Meeting_Body

FINANCE, BUDGET AND AUDIT COMMITTEE

JUNE 17, 2015

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

JUNE 18, 2015

Subject/Action

SUBJECT:      RIDERSHIP INITIATIVES

ACTION:      RECEIVE AND FILE RESPONSE TO BOARD MOTION NO. 8: MTA RIDERSHIP

Heading

RECOMMENDATION

Title

RECEIVE AND FILE status report on response to Board Motion No. 8: MTA Ridership (March 19, 2015) to develop an Action Plan to increase Metro ridership.

Issue

ISSUE

Since April 2014, ridership across the Metro system, including bus, rail, and BRT service, has declined by 4%. This decline contrasts with a 3% increase in ridership that occurred in the previous four years, from 2010 to 2014. The March 19, 2015 Board Motion No. 8: MTA Ridership (Attachment A) instructed the Metro CEO to develop an action plan to reverse the recent downward trend in boardings and to report back to the Board within 90 days of the Motion. This report provides the requested response and action plan.

Discussion

DISCUSSION

Ridership Trends

As shown in Figure 1, Metro ridership has been declining on a year-over-year basis since April of 2014, in the fourth quarter of FY14. This decline precedes the September 2014 fare restructuring by six months and is part of a larger national trend of declining transit ridership, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 1 shows that, through the third quarter of FY15, over the past year Metro boardings have decreased on average by 4% on a year-over-year basis, impacting all modes, including bus, rail, and bus rapid transit (BRT). As shown in Figure 1, bus boardings have decreased by 5%, rail by 2%, Orange Line BRT by 4%, resulting in a total system boardings decline of 4%.

Figure 1

Year-Over-Year Percent Change in Boardings

FY11 - Current

 

Figures 2 and 3 compare Metro ridership trends by bus (Figure 2) and rail and BRT (Figure 3) with regional and national trends. As shown in Figure 2, national bus ridership began declining in the first quarter of FY14, while Metro bus ridership began declining in the fourth quarter of FY14. Figure 3 shows that, despite a significant increase in rail and BRT ridership with the opening of the Expo Line and Orange Line Canoga Extension in the second quarter of FY13, rail and BRT ridership has been declining since the third quarter of FY14. This trend is particularly worrisome as national rail ridership continues to increase.

Figure 2

Year-Over-Year Percent Change in Local, Regional, National Bus Boardings

FY11 - Current