In a sprawling county where transit lines are sometimes miles apart, transit leaders face significant challenges as they prepare for the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics. The plans hinge on a bold proposal to secure a $2 billion investment from the Trump administration to lease 2,700 buses to enhance Metro’s current fleet of 2,400 buses.
These buses would travel on a network of designated lanes specifically designed to connect venues across the region and help avoid a looming traffic crisis.
However, with only three years remaining until the Games, leaders must navigate several hurdles related to funding and logistics.
As it stands, federal approval for the funding request has yet to be granted.
Moreover, Metro’s commitment to clean energy buses could lead to potential supply chain issues and challenges surrounding the necessary charging infrastructure. Furthermore, it will be imperative to ensure that operators are trained in accordance with state regulations and provided with adequate housing during the Games.
“Three years might seem like a lot of time to many of us, but in municipal time, three years is like the blink of an eye. That’s our greatest challenge,” said Daniel Rodman from the city of L.A.’s office of major events at a recent UCLA transit forum.
“Father Time is coming.”
After an earlier version of this story was published, Metro Board Chair Janice Hahn shared a letter from Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy at a committee meeting on Wednesday.
The letter reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to collaborate with Metro, LA28 organizers, and congressional committees on transport strategies for the upcoming Olympics.
“The U.S. Department of Transportation shares your desire to showcase the very best of the United States as it pertains to transportation throughout the Los Angeles metro region during the Games,” stated the letter, dated June 4.
“We stand ready to help implement and offer technical assistance should the House and Senate advance legislation providing additional funding for mobility needs during the Games.”
Hahn called the letter “encouraging.”
With events set to take place across a vast area, including Alamitos Beach in Long Beach, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, the L.A. Coliseum, Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, and even outside the county in Anaheim and northern San Diego County, effective transportation is critical.
The city is also adopting a motto of “transit first,” aiming for a successful and less car-dependent Olympic experience.
Officials acknowledge that many of the venues are not easily accessible by rail, making a reliable bus system essential for the Games.
Looking beyond the bus fleet, there are several ongoing transit projects that are expected to alleviate some of the traffic problems during this period.
These include the planned extension of the Metro D Line, known as the Purple Line, which Metro has targeted for completion before the 2028 Olympics.
Additionally, the automated people mover train at Los Angeles International Airport is set to provide an alternative travel method, reducing the reliance on personal vehicles to reach the airport.
There are even discussions regarding the use of water taxis from San Pedro to Long Beach, where multiple Olympic events will occur, as a means to alleviate traffic on key bridges.
A central question remains: will residents of a city long accustomed to car travel choose public transit?
Transit leaders express optimism that international tourists will embrace the public transport system, and they hope that a positive experience during the Games will encourage local residents to make use of the bus and train networks.
“All of our international visitors know how to ride public transportation — it’s second nature for our people coming from other countries,” Hahn commented at a recent UCLA forum, drawing parallels to the public transit usage during the Paris Olympics.
“It’s the Angelenos that we’re still trying to attract. So I’m thinking the legacy will be a good experience on a bus or a train that could translate after the Olympics to people riding Metro.”
In reflection on previous Olympic events, Los Angeles leaders have recalled the significant traffic concerns that arose ahead of the 1984 Olympics.
Then-Councilmember Pat Russell advised residents to consider taking a vacation during the Games, and many locals opted to rent out their homes to accommodate visitors.
Warnings echoed that without a solid transit plan, spectators could face immense frustration akin to the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, where overwhelmed bus services stranded numerous attendees in harsh winter conditions.
“Of all the problems we’re faced with these Olympics Games, transportation is the surest and most inevitable mess unless we get the cooperation and support of people to adjust their use of their personal vehicles,” Capt. Ken Rude, head of the California Highway Patrol’s Olympic planning unit, highlighted to The Times a year before the 1984 Games.
Months prior, Rude had warned that severe traffic congestion might force individuals to abandon their vehicles on the freeways.
Fortunately, the 1984 transit plan ultimately yielded positive results, with a combination of increased bus services—an additional 550 buses alongside an existing fleet of 2,200—temporary one-way street adjustments, and restricted delivery hours contributing to manageable traffic conditions.
Furthermore, an exodus of residents from the city during the Olympics also played a role in alleviating congestion, largely driven by the overwhelming predictions of gridlock.
However, the context in which the 2028 Games are being planned is markedly different.
Los Angeles’ population has surged from nearly 8 million in 1984 to 9.7 million today, and estimates indicate an influx of millions of additional spectators compared to the previous Games.
Current expectations suggest that as many as 9 million more ticket holders could flood the city for the 2028 Olympics.
“There’s a mountain to be moved and if you move it one year, it’s a lot harder than in three years,” stated Juane Matute, deputy director of the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies.
“While the buses can be challenging to acquire, addressing policy and regulatory changes is equally complex.”
Metro has managed to secure leasing commitments for around 650 buses so far.
However, it will also require sufficient time to ensure that bus operators receive the necessary training, testing, and certification for public transit in California, which could entail bringing in an estimated 6,000 additional operators to meet demand during the Games.
Metro envisions that these operators will primarily be sourced from transit agencies loaning out the buses.
In the latest state budget proposal, a commitment of $17.6 million from the state’s highway fund has been earmarked for Olympics and Paralympics planning.
This funding will support Metro’s Games Route Network, designed to clarify routes for athletes, media, officials, the International Olympics Committee, spectators, and workers.
Nonetheless, city and Metro leaders continue to voice concerns about ongoing funding gaps, particularly given that the enhanced bus systems and priority lanes developed for the 2028 Games will not be permanent fixtures in Los Angeles.
As Metro grapples with its own financial challenges, projecting a $2.3 billion deficit by 2030, the need for sustainable solutions becomes paramount.
Despite these challenges, organizers of the Olympics remain optimistic about transportation logistics.
“L.A. has invested significantly in infrastructure here and transportation capabilities — far more than it did in ’84,” asserted LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman following a recent three-day visit from the International Olympic Committee.
“We feel very confident that it’ll be a different version of the success we had in ’84 in terms of ingress and egress and access and experience when it comes to transportation.”
image source from：latimes
