Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
149px	149px
	149px
Overview
Locale	Los Angeles County, California
Transit type	<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/> Bus; Bus rapid transit; Light rail; Paratransit; Rapid transit (subway);
Number of lines	<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/> Bus: 117; Bus rapid transit: 2; Light rail: 4; Subway: 2;
Number of stations	<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/> Rail: 102; Bus: 11,980;
Daily ridership	881,600 (weekdays, Q2 2023)
Annual ridership	255,250,500 (2022)
Chief executive	Stephanie Wiggins
Headquarters	Metro Headquarters Building; One Gateway Plaza; Los Angeles, California
Website	www.metro.net
Operation
Began operation	February 1, 1993; 32 years ago
Technical
System length	<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/> Rail: 109 miles (175 km); Bus: 1,447 miles (2,329 km);

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), branded as Metro, is the county agency that plans, operates, and coordinates funding for most of the public transportation system in Los Angeles County, California, the most populated county in the United States.

The agency directly operates a large transit system that includes bus, light rail, heavy rail (subway), and bus rapid transit services. Metro also provides funding for transit it does not operate, including Metrolink commuter rail, municipal bus operators and paratransit services. The agency also provides funding and directs planning for railroad and highway projects within Los Angeles County.

In 2022, the Metro system had a total ridership of 255,250,500, and had a ridership of 881,600 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2023. It is the largest transit agency by ridership in the state of California, and the third-largest in the United States.

Background

Metro Headquarters Building, a high-rise office tower located next to Union Station

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority was formed on February 1, 1993, by the California State Legislature which merged two rival agencies: the Southern California Rapid Transit District (SCRTD or more often, RTD) and the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission (LACTC).^[4]

The RTD was founded on August 18, 1964, to operate most public transportation in the urbanized Southern California region, including Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, and Riverside counties. RTD replaced the major predecessor public agency, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority, and took over eleven failing other bus companies and services in the Southern California region.^[5] Services outside of Los Angeles County began to be divested in the early 1980s.

The LACTC began operation in 1977 after a state requirement that all counties form local transportation commissions. Its main objective was to be the guardian of all transportation funding, both transit and highway, for Los Angeles County.^[6]

The bickering between the two agencies came to a head in the 1980s. At that time, the LACTC was building the Blue Line (now A Line) light rail line between Los Angeles and Long Beach, while the RTD was building the Red Line (now B Line) subway in Downtown Los Angeles. It was revealed that due to disputes between the agencies, the LACTC was planning to end the Blue Line at Pico Station, instead of serving the 7th Street/Metro Center station being built by the RTD six blocks north.

LA Metro has assumed the functions of both agencies and now develops and oversees transportation plans, policies, funding programs, and both short-term and long-range solutions to mobility, accessibility and environmental needs in the county. The agency is also the primary public transit provider for the city of Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States, providing the bulk of such services. even though the city's own Los Angeles Department of Transportation LADOT operates a smaller bus only public transit system of its own called DASH within the MTA service area in the city of Los Angeles, often overlapping with some Metro Bus routes and stops in several neighborhoods primarily in the central part of the city.

Since 1995 the agency has been based out of the Metro Headquarters Building, a 26-story high-rise office tower located next to Union Station, a major transportation hub and the main train station for the Los Angeles metropolitan area, which it has also owned since purchasing it in 2011.^[7]

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority operates the third-largest public transportation system in the United States by ridership with a 1,433 mi² (3,711 km²) operating area and 2,000 peak hour buses on the street any given business day. Metro also operates 109 miles (175 km) of urban rail service.^[1] The authority has 10,290 employees, making it one of the region's largest employers.^[1]

The authority also partially funds sixteen municipal bus operators and an array of transportation projects including bikeways and pedestrian facilities, local roads and highway improvements, goods movement, Metrolink regional commuter rail, Freeway Service Patrol and freeway call boxes within the County of Los Angeles.

To increase sustainability in transportation services, Metro also provides bike and pedestrian improvements for the over 10.1 million residents of Los Angeles County.^[8]

Security and law enforcement services on Metro property (including buses and trains) are currently provided by the Transit Services Bureau via contract, in conjunction with Metro Transit Enforcement Department and the Los Angeles Police Department (Union Station and all LACMTA rail services within the City of Los Angeles).

Services

File:Los Angeles Metro System Map.png

Metro Rail and Busway system map

<maplink text="Interactive Metro Rail and Busway map">{"type":"ExternalData","service":"page","title":"Los Angeles Metro Rail and Busway.map","properties":{"stroke-width":6,"title":"Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority","stroke":"#ff0000"}}</maplink>

Metro Rail

Metro Rail is a rail mass transit system with two subway and four light rail lines. As of November 2024^[update], the system runs a total of 109 miles (175 km), with 102 stations.^[1]

is a light rail line running between Azusa and Long Beach via Downtown Los Angeles.

is a subway line running between North Hollywood and Downtown Los Angeles.

is a light rail line running between Westchester and Norwalk, largely in the median of the 105 freeway. It provides indirect access to Los Angeles International Airport via a shuttle bus. Service will terminate at LAX/Metro Transit Center station when it opens in 2025.

is a subway line running between the Mid-Wilshire district and Downtown Los Angeles. Most of its route is shared with the B Line. The line is currently being extended westward.

is a light rail line running between Santa Monica and East Los Angeles via Downtown Los Angeles.^[9]

is a light rail line running between South Los Angeles and Inglewood, and between Westchester and Redondo Beach. ^[10] The service gap between Inglewood and Westchester will be filled when LAX/Metro Transit Center station opens in 2025.^[11]

Metro Bus

Metro Bus on Line 81

Metro is the primary bus operator in the Los Angeles Basin, the San Fernando Valley, and the western San Gabriel Valley until Arcadia going east. Other regions of Los Angeles County, including the Antelope Valley and the eastern San Gabriel Valley, are served by separate bus operators, which receive some funding from Metro.

As of June 2023^[update], the Metro Bus system includes 117 routes, serving over 11,000 bus stops.^[12] Most Metro Bus lines are local services, stopping at marked stops approximately every two blocks. Limited-stop Metro Rapid services stop only at major intersections, and Metro Express services utilize the extensive Southern California freeways to provide nonstop service between regional destinations.^[13]

Metro Busway

A Metro Liner vehicle at the North Hollywood station on the Orange Line.

Metro Busway is a bus rapid transit system with two lines operating on dedicated or shared-use busways. The system runs a total of 55.7 miles (89.6 km), with 29 stations and over 42,000 daily weekday boardings as of May 2016.

The Metro Busway system is meant to mimic the Metro Rail system, both in the vehicle's design and in the operation of the line. Vehicles stop at dedicated stations (except for the portion of the Metro J Line in Downtown Los Angeles), vehicles receive priority at intersections and are painted in a silver livery similar to Metro Rail vehicles.

is a bus rapid transit line running between Chatsworth and North Hollywood. Some trips terminate in Canoga Park.

is a bus rapid transit line running between El Monte, Downtown Los Angeles, and Harbor Gateway, with some trips continuing to San Pedro.

Busways

The Metro Busway J Line operates over two busways, semi-exclusive roadways built into the Southern California freeway system. These busways are also used by other bus routes to speed up their trips.

The El Monte Busway is a combination busway and high-occupancy toll (HOT) roadway that runs in the median of the San Bernardino Freeway (I-10) and on a separate right-of-way. The busway provides express bus service between Downtown LA and the San Gabriel Valley. Services on the busway are operated by both Metro and Foothill Transit.
The Harbor Transitway is a combination busway and HOT roadway that runs in the median of the Harbor Freeway (I-110). The busway provides express bus service between San Pedro and Downtown LA. Services on the busway are operated by Metro, GTrans, LADOT, OC Bus and Torrance Transit.

Other services

Metro Art: A program of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority that commissions and integrates public art into Metro stations and facilities to enhance the transit experience of Los Angeles County.^[14]
Metro Bike Share: A bicycle-sharing system in Downtown LA, Central LA, Hollywood, North Hollywood and on the Westside.^[15]
Metro ExpressLanes: High-occupancy toll lanes on the El Monte Busway and Harbor Transitway.
Metro Freeway Service Patrol: A joint effort between Metro, Caltrans, and the California Highway Patrol offering free quick-fix repairs and towing from freeways.
Metro Micro: An on-demand transit service, operated using vans in 8 zones around the region^[16]
Bike paths: 475 miles (764 km) of bike facilities for commuter and recreational purposes.
HOV (Carpool) Lanes: 219 miles (352 km), 423 miles (681 km) both directions/each lane, of carpool, vanpool, and express bus lanes.
Metrolink: Partially funded by Metro, it is Southern California's regional commuter rail system.
Pacific Surfliner: Partially funded by Metro. Metro has two board seats in the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency^[17]^[18]

Fares and fare collection

The base fare for Metro services, including local and express buses and Metro Rail, is $1.75. Metro introduced daily and weekly fare caps in July 2023, replacing daily, weekly, and monthly passes. With fare capping, the cost of each trip is credited towards the cost of a daily or weekly unlimited pass, automatically ensuring that all passengers pay the lowest fare possible.^[19] Discounted or free fares are available for seniors, disabled individuals, Medicare recipients, low-income individuals, and students.^[20]

The primary method of payment for Metro fares is the TAP card, a contactless stored-value card. TAP cards are valid on Metro buses and trains, and on 25 other transit agencies in Los Angeles County.^[21] TAP cards are required for Metro Rail trips, free bus transfers, and fare capping; however, single-ride bus fares can still be paid in cash. TAP cards can be purchased at station fare machines, local vendors, online, and at Metro Customer Care Centers.^[22]

Fare gates are installed at all B, C, D and K Line stations, along with select A and E Line stations. Fare gates were added after 2007 to reduce fare evasion.^[23] At the time, the decision was criticized for its cost and perceived ineffectiveness.^[24]

Fare type	Regular	Senior (62+) Disabled Medicare	Student K-12/ College Vocational	Low Income (LIFE)
Base fare	$1.75	$0.35 (off-peak) $0.75 (peak)	$0.75	20 Free Rides then Regular fare
1-Day Cap	$5	$2.50	$2.50
7-Day Cap	$18	$5	$6
Metro-to-Muni Transfer	$0.50	$0.25	$0.50	—

Ridership

<div class="transborder" style="position:absolute;width:100px;line-height:0;left:0; top:0; border-width:0 200px 200px 0; border-color:#Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

">

<div class="transborder" style="position:absolute;width:100px;line-height:0;left:100px; top:0.031581071670004px; border-width:0 0 99.96841892833px 2.5130095443337px; border-bottom-color:#Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

">

<div class="transborder" style="position:absolute;width:100px;line-height:0;left:100px; top:0.86923689304935px; border-width:0 0 99.130763106951px 13.156435909228px; border-bottom-color:#Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

">

<div class="transborder" style="position:absolute;width:100px;line-height:0;left:100px; top:2.4083238061253px; border-width:0 0 97.591676193875px 21.814324139654px; border-bottom-color:#Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

">

<div class="transborder" style="position:absolute;width:100px;line-height:0;left:100px; top:2.9873403509894px; border-width:0 0 97.012659649011px 24.259923079541px; border-bottom-color:#Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

">

<div class="transborder" style="position:absolute;width:100px;line-height:0;left:100px; top:14.900551820531px; border-width:0 0 85.099448179469px 52.51746299613px; border-bottom-color:#Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

">

<div class="transborder" style="position:absolute;width:100px;line-height:0;left:100px; top:22.948675722421px; border-width:0 0 77.051324277579px 63.742398974869px; border-bottom-color:#Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

">

<div class="transborder" style="position:absolute;width:100px;line-height:0;left:100px; top:57.422070843493px; border-width:0 0 42.577929156507px 90.482705246602px; border-bottom-color:#Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

">