LA Metro seeks public input on future of on-demand service

LA Metro is asking the public for feedback on the future of its on-demand rideshare service, Metro Micro.

The service currently covers 27 cities and 12 unincorporated areas in LA County, but has proved to be a costly endeavour with each US$1 trip for the passenger costing Metro US$42 to operate.

The agency is currently hosting a series of public meetings across the metro area ahead of a board meeting on 25 January which will determine the future of the project.

Speaking in late December, LA Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins said: “There are some elements of our operating structure we need trade-offs for – stay tuned for that for 2024.”

Fares

Metro Micro was intended to be a three-year pilot when it first launched in December 2020.

But last September, Metro’s board of directors voted to extend it until September 2024.

Instead of operating on a fixed schedule like buses and trains, the service matches passengers with flexible pick-up locations and times across eight zones.

The shuttle vans can fit up to nine passengers and have become the first on-demand publicly operated rideshare in the country to reach one million boardings, according to Metro.

The US$1 fare was designed to be a temporary introductory deal for the first six months of the service, but the Metro Board ended up extending it throughout the COVID pandemic and beyond.

Now, the agency is considering raising the fare to US$2.50 but keeping the US$1 fare for customers with student, senior or disabled passes.

LA Metro says the ultimate goal of the service is to improve first and last-mile connections on existing routes, provide better service to routes that are performing poorly, and address inequities in similar ridehailing services in low-income areas.

More to come?

Several US cities – including Seattle and Denver – have introduced on-demand services in recent years.

Some smaller cities have even replaced their entire fixed public transport routes with on-demand vehicles.

Last week, the North Carolina city of Gastonia announced it would be cutting all its regular bus routes and replacing them with on-demand services from July 2024.

The city, which has a population of 81,000, operates six bus routes that drew 144,000 riders last year.

Officials say the on-demand service will be quicker and more convenient for riders, and more efficient for the city than using full-sized buses that currently average just seven riders a trip.

“We saw a need to provide on-demand microtransit transportation to our residents as our city continues to grow,” said Gastonia Mayor Richard Franks.

“This move away from fixed-route buses will provide cost savings and will increase accessibility for everyone in our community.”

Image: LA Metro