The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority implemented a complete overhaul of its bus system in three waves over the course of 2021. A shortage of drivers for the system has made it impossible to implement that vision.
An article by TransitCenter reports on the challenges facing the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) as it works to implement its recent NextGen system redesign while dealing with a shortage of drivers.
“Metro introduced NextGen’s schedule and route changes to the bus network over three ‘shake-ups’ in June, September, and December 2021,” according to the article. “The changes were supposed to restore bus service to its pre-Covid level. But since the fall, extreme operator shortfalls have forced Metro to cancel scheduled trips regularly, depriving riders of promised service or a shred of reliability.”
To reveal the scope of the problem, the article notes that one in five scheduled bus strips didn’t show in January. Half of the scheduled trips on the high-ridership 754 route were canceled, according to the article.
TransitCenter also completed an equity analysis using the TransitCenter Equity Dashboard to reveal the scale of the missed opportunity to improve bus service in Los Angeles according to the intended NextGen service map and schedule.
“Jobs, healthcare, and other places would become easier than ever to reach by public transit, even surpassing the pre-Covid-19 benchmark. NextGen service changes would also lessen historic transportation inequities, improving access the most for Black and Hispanic Angelenos, and for residents of historically disenfranchised, disinvested communities,” according to the article.
Black residents of the city stand to gain most from the full realization of the NextGen plan, according to the article:
Our analysis found that transit access to jobs would increase substantially more for Black people than for other Angelenos. Based on February and September 2021 schedules, Black people would gain access to nearly 48,000 additional jobs in 45 minutes by transit, a 36% increase (compared to an additional 30,000 jobs for the average person). Residents of LA Metro’s Equity Focus Communities (identified by the agency based on demographic determinants of disinvestment and disenfranchisement) would be able to access 64,000 additional jobs, a 25% increase.
A lot more detail, including maps and infographics from the TransitCenter equity analysis illustrate more of the ongoing transit crisis created by a shortage of drivers in the nation’s second largest city.
FULL STORY: LA’s Bus Network Redesign Hamstrung by Operator Shortfall
NextGen Bus Plan Approved in Los Angeles
Major changes are coming to the Metro bus system in the nation's second largest city. After three years of planning and public feedback, the Metro board has approved the NextGen bus plan.
Metro L.A. Drafts Frequent Bus Service Plan
Late last week, Los Angeles transit riders got a first peak at the proposed NextGen Bus Plan, a system redesign that promises to completely redefine transit access in the county.
‘Forward Together’ Bus System Redesign Rolling Out in Portland
Portland is redesigning its bus system to respond to the changing patterns of the post-pandemic world—with twin goals of increasing ridership and improving equity.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research