In June, ridership across Metro’s transit system experienced a significant decline, primarily attributed to a series of federal immigration raids conducted across Los Angeles County.
These raids instilled fear among many rail and bus riders, resulting in a notable drop in service usage.
While ridership on rail saw a slight uptick of approximately 6.5% in July, the previous month witnessed a decline exceeding 3.7 million boardings across both rail and bus services.
The bus sector was particularly affected, as it accounted for the majority of the ridership decrease, with over 3.1 million fewer boardings in June compared to May.
Despite a minor reduction in bus boardings by nearly 2% from June to July, Metro officials noted that this fluctuation aligns with historical trends.
Historical data reveals that a decline in bus ridership from June to July has been typical, especially during summer months when schools and colleges are not in session.
Metro reported that there is a seasonal pattern to ridership and highlighted that bus usage generally decreases in July as more individuals take time off from work.
June recorded a striking 13.5% drop in ridership from the preceding month, marking the lowest ridership count for June since 2022, a year when passenger numbers began to rebound post-pandemic.
Not all routes and rail lines suffered equally; for instance, Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins highlighted the K Line’s impressive performances with a staggering 140% increase in weekday ridership and about a 200% rise during weekends following the opening of the LAX/Metro Transit Center.
Metro has faced ongoing challenges with ridership in recent years, grappling first with the reductions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent safety issues related to violence on public transit systems.
Although ridership had begun to recover, hitting about 90% of pre-pandemic numbers earlier this year, the June drop has raised new concerns.
Financially, Metro continues to navigate significant challenges; the agency recently greenlit a $9.4 billion budget while anticipating a deficit exceeding $2.3 billion through 2030.
There are also uncertainties regarding federal funding tied to their plans for the Olympics and Paralympics transportation strategy, which entails the lease of thousands of buses.
Maintaining ridership growth remains vital for the agency given these financial hurdles.
A 2023 Metro survey revealed that over 60% of bus riders and about 50% of rail riders identify as Latino, and the decline in June’s ridership can, to an extent, be linked to heightened apprehensions within the immigrant community surrounding the immigration raids.
Public fears intensified following the circulation of a widely shared video depicting multiple individuals being apprehended at a Pasadena bus stop.
Three of those detained at that location are plaintiffs in a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration and voiced their support earlier for a 9th U.S. Court of Appeals decision upholding a temporary restraining order against similar immigration enforcement practices.
Pedro Vasquez Perdomo, a day laborer, recounted his terrifying experience of being taken by unidentified men while waiting for a bus to work—an ordeal that left him without access to basic necessities and has profoundly impacted his life.
In light of the raids, the daily routines of many from the immigrant community have shifted significantly.
Palmira Figueroa from the National Day Laborer Organizing Network noted that many in the community are reducing their outings, especially those connected to individuals who have faced detention or who have witnessed raids.
She stressed a growing tendency for people to seek alternative modes of transportation to mitigate their exposure to immigration enforcement actions.
Additionally, station closures during the raids and ongoing construction of the D Line beneath Wilshire Boulevard also contributed to June’s lackluster transit numbers, as highlighted by Metro officials.
image source from：latimes
