Four of the five Metro Service Councils will hold public hearings this month to receive public input on proposed bus service changes for June or later this year. There will be a presentation at each hearing on the changes proposed for each region, and the public will have the opportunity to provide comments.

Service Councils will not vote on the proposed changes until March, taking into consideration all comments received. In addition, a special pubic hearing will be held in downtown LA in Metro’s Board room on Saturday, February 8 at 9 am to provide additional opportunities for the public to comment on the proposed changes.

Please note that these public hearings are unrelated to the upcoming public hearing regarding proposed fare restructuring on March 29. Only comments on the proposed service changes will be accepted at the hearings described in this article. Service Councils will have Fare Forums to discuss Metro’s fare restructuring proposals, and accept public input, during their March meetings.

The San Fernando Valley and Westside/Central Service Councils will conduct their meeting and public hearings at their usual council meetings times. The San Gabriel Valley and Gateway Cities Service Council will start their meeting a little later than usual, at 6 pm. The Gateway Cities meeting and public hearing will be held at a new location – the Aspire Pacific Academy, located at 2565 E 58th Street in Huntington Park.

The South Bay Service Council will hold their meeting at the regular time, and will not have a public hearing since no major service changes are proposed in that region. All public hearings and Service Council meeting dates and times are listed below.

The proposed service changes can be reviewed on Metro’s web page at www.metro.net/about/metro-service-changes/proposed-changes-metro-bus-service.  Anyone unable to attend hearings can submit their comments in writing by mail, postmarked no later than midnight, February 14, 2014, sent to: Metro Customer Relations, ATTN: June 2014 Service Changes, One Gateway Plaza, 99-PL-4, Los Angeles CA 90012-2932. Comments can also be submitted by e-mail to: servicechanges@metro.net or via fax at 213-922-6988.

Meeting topics for this month’s Service Council meetings, and the lines being considered for service changes at public hearings in each of their regions, are listed below. All meetings will include a brief report from Metro Service Council Director Jon Hillmer on previous month’s statistics on ridership, performance and other statistical categories.

San Fernando Valley – Wednesday, 2/5. 6:30 pm. A presentation will be made, and public comment will be accepted, for June service changes proposed for the following Metro Bus Lines in or connecting with the San Fernando Valley: 91, 169 222, 234, 588, 734, 741, 761.

Downtown Los Angeles Special Saturday Hearing – Saturday, 2/8, 9 am. Held in the 3^rd Floor Board Room at Metro’s headquarters building located at One Gateway Plaza, LA 90012. A presentation will be made, and public comments accepted, on all proposed June service changes.

San Gabriel Valley – Monday, 2/10, 6 pm (different time). A presentation will be made, and public comment will be accepted, for a June service change proposed for Line 577 (serving the San Gabriel Valley and Gateway Cities regions)

Westside/Central – Wednesday, 2/12, 5 pm. A presentation will be made, and public comment will be accepted, for June service changes proposed for the following Metro Bus Lines in or connecting with the Westside/Central region: 234, 534, 588, 734, 761.

Gateway Cities – Thursday, 2/13, 6 pm (different time and location). Preceding the public hearing, the Gateway Cities Service Council will receive a presentation on Metro’s “On the Move Rider’s Club”. Next, at the public hearing, a presentation will be made, and public comment will be accepted, for a June service change proposed for Line 577 (serving Gateway Cities and the San Gabriel Valley regions)

South Bay – Friday, 2/14, 9:30 am. As mentioned above, the South Bay will not be holding a public hearing this month since no major service changes are proposed for the region this June. Items on the South Bay Service Council’s agenda include a presentation on Metro’s Accident Reduction Program and an update on Electric Vehicle Charging Station Installations.

For a detailed listing of all Council meeting dates, times and locations, click here. As always, the public is encouraged to attend and share their comments with the Service Councils on improving bus service throughout LA County. If you would like to provide input to a Council but cannot attend a meeting, you can submit your comments in writing through the Service Council web page or send them to service councils@metro.net. If your comments are for a specific Council, please make sure to indicate which one you are addressing in your e-mail.