After months of steady climbs in ridership, metro numbers fell to that year’s lowest level in June after immigration raids across Los Angeles County.
Transportation estimated the number of riderships of approximately 23.7 million last month on bus and rail systems. Metro data shows that May and the 13.5% drop from the rail system and the lowest May June has been recorded since 2022, when numbers began to recover since the pandemic emergency. The massive immigration sweep began on June 6th.
The decline had no effect on the entire system. For example, K-Line riderships rose 28% on weekdays, 85% on Saturday and 72% on Sunday. Metro is believed to be attributed to the opening of the LAX/Metro Transit Center.
Various factors were dropped elsewhere, including the action taken by the Metro during the demonstration after protesters violated an A-line truck, shutting down burnt garbage cans outside a small Tokyo station for nearly a week, surrounding and destroying the Metro bus.
The busway was closed for several days in El Monte, where officials said federal agents were questioning users at the metro station.
The decision to close the station was said at a board meeting last month, in collaboration with local law enforcement, the Los Angeles Police Department and Deputy Director Robert Gummer, the county sheriff’s office.
“During the period of protest, Metro has been challenged with actions that put customers and employees at risk,” Gummer said.
Retiring Metro Chair and LA County Superintendent Janice Hahn have expressed concern that the closure has left peaceful protesters stuck.
“I think the unintended consequences of closing these stations have really harmed those who are peacefully protesting and trying to get out of it,” Hearn said last month. “It seemed like there was a lot of confusion. A lot of people who didn’t understand what was going on, and a lot of people who didn’t know how to get out.”
This also affected riderships, primarily Latin, for fear of whether immigrant raids would occur on buses or on rail lines. A 2023 Metro survey showed that over 60% of Metrobus riders and about 50% of their railway riders are Latinx.
Mayor Karen Bass said the federal response has sparked concerns about the use of public transport.
“What the administration did – the provocative actions of the administration – leads to widespread fear that our cities and people are afraid of getting on the subway, and people are scared that an assault will occur,” Bus said. “We need to see how we can see how people in our city feel comfortable and safe.”
Board member and county supervisor Hilda Solis reiterated his concerns.
“I pray that our staff and our patrons, those who ride our system, will not do any harm,” Solis said last month. “They are afraid – they are afraid of their lives.”
In a widely shared video in June, the masked agent got off at a bus stop in Pasadena and took several people into custody. The city-owned stop was on one of the Metro bus routes.
The three men detained at the bus stop are Pasadena residents and plaintiffs in an ACLU lawsuit filed against the Trump administration over illegal suspensions and lack of access to legal representatives during ongoing immigration enforcement. The masked agent who detained the man did not identify himself as an immigration officer and did not present a warrant, according to the lawsuit. During detention, the man was mostly provided with food and water and was forced to sleep on the floor of the holding centre, the lawsuit alleges.
In response, the federal court recently issued two temporary restraining orders to the federal government. Since then, the Trump administration has urged the Court of Appeal to lift restrictions.
The Metro touted an increase in ridership after declining during the pandemic emergency and once again after violence on rail and buses that affected public trust. In a speech from Metro’s annual agency last week, CEO Stephanie Wiggins said ridership has risen by more than 53% over the past four years, with customer satisfaction rising to 87% in a recent survey.
It was not immediately clear whether riderships began to recover from the decline last month.
“We know that recent events have caused fear, anxiety and heartache in the community we all serve and what we call home,” Wiggins said he acknowledged the recent disruption throughout the region. “Many of us have influenced friends, neighbors and loved ones.”
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