L.A. Metro to Begin Implementing NextGen Bus Plan on Dec. 13 to Increase Bus Frequencies and Modify Routes to Better Serve Riders
As part of the agency’s NextGen Bus Plan to improve bus frequencies and better serve riders, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) will begin implementing the first phase of bus service changes effective Sunday, December 13.
Bus trips are being added to many Metro Bus lines to improve the frequency of service and provide more room for riders to practice social distancing whenever possible. Metro requires riders to wear a face covering at all times.
Other bus routes are being modified with route changes to speed up trips and a few lines with low ridership are being discontinued. Riders can use this online tool to check their bus line for any changes. Also, the Transit app for smartphones – Metro’s official app – will show changes.
Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chair, Eric Garcetti, said:Our mission is to create a world-class transportation system for Los Angeles -- a web of bus and rail lines that give Angelenos a sustainable, efficient, and convenient way to move around our city and region. Metro’s bus network is the backbone of our transit vision, and this first phase of the NextGen Bus Plan is the next step toward what we need to see on our roads: more dedicated bus lanes, higher ridership, and faster, more reliable service.
When the NextGen Bus Plan is fully implemented in December 2021, there will be more frequent, all-day bus service on more routes, shorter wait times for buses and more reliable service. Even during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the NextGen network and its focus on improving the frequency of service will better serve bus riders.
Metro CEO, Phillip A. Washington, said:This is the first major overhaul of Metro’s bus system in more than 25 years and these changes will vastly improve bus service for current and future riders. Metro’s bus ridership has fallen less during the pandemic than in many other metro areas — which demonstrates how much people completely depend on our bus system.
This article was originally published by Metro.
