“We’re doing this for you,” mentioned Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins on the State of the Company Handle, “for each L.A. County resident, who has helped us construct this method and who deserves a greater, cleaner, safer, simpler different to sitting in site visitors.”
Not too long ago held on the Los Angeles Union Station, Metro’s annual occasion seemed again on its accomplishments. Wiggins, L.A. County Supervisor and former Metro Board Chair Janice Hahn, and Board Chair and Metropolis of Whittier Councilmember Fernando Dutra shared the progress Metro has made in direction of strategic targets within the final fiscal yr (2025) and introduced its targets for the present fiscal yr (2026).
“This was a yr when Metro didn’t simply function—we confirmed up,” mentioned Hahn.
“When devastating wildfires swept via communities, we made Metro free for all of our riders and supplied classes that acquired the firefighters the place they wanted to be, we even had Metro employees stationed for weeks within the restoration facilities to assist fireplace victims in individual.”
Hahn continued, “Over 6,000 fireplace survivors enrolled in our LIFE program offering them 20 free rides for six months so, they may concentrate on rebuilding their lives.
“One other approach Metro has proven up this yr is for the immigrant communities that we serve. In February, we made Know Your Rights supplies out there on our buses and in our stations and now, our communities face horrible and dehumanizing ICE sweeps.
“We are going to proceed to assist and defend our riders as greatest we will and our riders must know, that in the event that they train their rights to peacefully protest, Metro stations might be open and our buses and trains able to get them dwelling safely.”
“It has been a troublesome time, a really troublesome time for a lot of in our immigrant neighborhood, throughout our area together with members of our personal particular household,” mentioned Wiggins. “I do know that latest occasions have triggered worry, nervousness and heartache within the communities all of us serve and name dwelling.
“Many people have buddies, neighbors and family members, who’ve been impacted and but, within the face of uncertainty and ache, you proceed to point out up with integrity, compassion and with a deep sense of responsibility to the individuals of this group and for that, please know, I’m profoundly grateful to all of you.
“Thanks on your resilience, on your service and on your unwavering dedication to our work and to our communities.”
Metro shared a few of its progress this yr, which incorporates, as of Could 2025, violent crime dropped 28.9 % per 1 million boardings year-over-year and is now on the lowest ranges since Could 2019 because of the company growing the presence of engaged uniformed personnel on the system.
Final December, Metro turned the primary transit company within the nation to retrofit its complete energetic bus fleet with absolutely enclosed operator obstacles, leading to a 66% lower in operator assaults within the first three months in comparison with that point interval the earlier yr.
Further key security and safety initiatives superior in FY 2025 embody an growth of Metro’s weapons detection pilot program, the profitable Faucet-to-Exit pilot program and the set up of taller fare gates and the roll out of an enhanced Transit Watch 3.0 app.
Metro has improved its buyer expertise with outcomes from surveys. Outcomes from the polls confirmed 87% of consumers are glad or very glad with the service. The survey additionally confirmed 53% of riders mentioned that they had seen enhancements to the transit system over the previous yr, with enhancing service high quality and security as the highest causes.
Metro additionally celebrated a number of key milestones together with the just lately opened the LAX/Metro Transit Heart, connecting two rail traces and 14 bus traces to LAX Airport, opening the Rail-to-Rail Energetic Transportation Hall in South L.A., which reworked outdated railroad tracks right into a 5.5-mile bike and pedestrian path, with quick access to the A, J, and Okay Traces, and opened extra bus lanes.
Metro additionally broke floor on the G Line Enhancements Undertaking and the I-105 ExpressLanes Undertaking and attained approval of an $893 million federal grant for the East San Fernando Valley Mild Rail challenge and the development of the Southeast Gateway Line and Vermont Transit Hall initiatives. In June, Metro additionally launched the draft Environmental Affect Report (DEIR) for what they imagine might be one of the crucial essential public infrastructure initiatives in America—the Sepulveda Transit Hall challenge, which is starting the general public remark interval.
“We preserve our core robust by taking the teachings realized from efforts like our understanding how ladies journey protected, our buyer journey-mapping analysis and our fairness platform to floor our actions,” mentioned Wiggins.
“It means implementing enhancements that can make our system higher for girls and ladies, individuals with disabilities and the individuals who depend on us probably the most.”
Outgoing Metro Board Chair Hahn welcomed incoming Board Chair Dutra. He thanked Hahn for all the great work she has carried out at Metro and shared what he plans to do within the place.
“I’m dedicated to constructing on the momentum and the general public belief created by Metro’s latest security, fairness and customer support initiatives,” mentioned Dutra.
“I’m equally dedicated to making sure we’re ready to maintain transferring ahead on our main initiatives, together with the A Line to Pomona, the D Line Extension, Southeast Gateway Line, the 105 Specific Lanes and our freeway security initiatives.”
Dutra continued, “And as we transfer ahead on these essential initiatives, we have to make it possible for regionally based mostly firms in engineering, structure and the various skilled providers that make this work potential, aren’t simply invited to the desk – they deserve an actual stake within the success of those efforts, together with native jobs, native experience and native alternative.”
“I’m actually grateful,” mentioned Wiggins as this was her fifth state of the company handle for Metro. “I feel it’s gratifying to see the progress that we’ve collectively made for the reason that first handle—it was inside my first 30 days of being on this function.”
Wiggins continued, “Actually to see the expansion and the progress that we made with security, ridership, buyer satisfaction, it’s actually heartening and motivating.
“We’re not completed but, we nonetheless have room to develop, extra work to do, however figuring out what’s on the opposite aspect for the following 4 years, I’m very humble, grateful and enthusiastic about what now we have forward.”
