The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) is facing staffing shortages due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, impacting bus and rail service.
As a result, some bus and rail trips will likely be canceled each day over the next few weeks. For example, on Jan. 4, L.A. Metro says it had to cancel about 10 percent of trips. The canceled trips are not evenly distributed among the transit system. On some days certain parts of the bus system have been hit harder than others — and some bus lines are impacted more than others. A canceled trip or two on any individual bus line is likely to result in crowding on subsequent trips.
In the past few days, about 30 percent of L.A. Metro’s bus operators have been out due to either being quarantined, caring for family members or having COVID-19. The number of positive cases among agency staff and contractors has doubled in the past month.
These impacts to transit service will likely continue until the number of COVID-19 cases decreases in the region and more employees can return to work. Other transit agencies around the region — including LADOT and Foothill Transit — are experiencing similar challenges.
The authority says it believes the increase in cases at L.A. Metro is due to widespread community transmission of COVID-19 and not tied directly to the transit system. L.A. Metro’s increase in cases is mirroring the county and state surge in cases.
L.A. Metro says it will continue to run as much of its planned service as it can to provide essential trips for riders. The authority is also encouraging everyone to follow local health orders and stay home as much as possible.
