Reliability, frequency, safety, cleanliness, and homelessness are top concerns among Metro riders according to Metro’s 2022 Customer Experience Survey released today.
Metro’s 2022 Customer Experience Survey was conducted earlier this year between March and May 2022. A total of 12,239 surveys were taken on board Metro buses, trains, and Metro Micro vehicles, reflecting a 63% response rate.
This is also the first customer survey we’ve conducted since just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The annual survey, together with ongoing customer feedback and surveys, will guide the agency’s Customer Experience Plan, which prioritizes projects – and related budgets – to deliver good customer experience aboard Metro.
Some of the more interesting nuggets from the survey:
•More than 58% of rail riders and 60% of bus riders reported being satisfied with Metro’s service. The numbers are similar to results of customer satisfaction surveys done by other large transit agencies across the country. At Metro, the numbers reflect a modest decline in satisfaction results in both categories (1% rail and 7% bus) compared to 2020.
•The top five improvements that our bus customers want to see are: more buses arriving on time; more frequent buses; how Metro addresses homelessness on buses; safety from crime, and cleaner bus stops.
•The top five improvements that rail customers want are: cleanliness inside trains; how Metro addresses homelessness on trains; safety from crime; more trains running on time, and more frequent trains.
•The top five improvements that female rail customers want are: safety from crime, sexual harassment, or racial or ethnic harassment; cleaner trains; reducing homelessness and related issues on trains; cleaner stations, and; more trains arriving on time.
•The top five improvements that female bus customers want are: safety from crime, sexual harassment, or racial or ethnic harassment; more buses arriving on time; more frequent service; less homelessness and related issues on buses, and; cleaner buses.
•For the first time, the survey included questions about Metro Micro, which launched in late 2020. Some issues expressed by riders included on time service, more availability of accurate information to plan their trip, better real-time information, how to get a ride quicker and how to identify how long the trip will take.
•People between the ages of 25 and 64 represent most of Metro riders – a 6% increase from 2020.
•Latinx/Hispanics are the largest ethnic group, representing 58% of riders (59% in 2020). Black/African Americans constitute 14% of Metro riders (16% in 2020), followed by 12% who are White/Caucasian (11% in 2020).
•Notably, 49% of bus riders and 44% of rail riders identify as female, which is down from 53% and 46% from Metro’s 2020 survey in both categories.
•Approximately 83% of riders reported a household income of under $50,000 a year, compared to 81% in 2020.
•The survey also found that 78% of respondents ride the system at least three days a week, down 11% from 2020. Additionally, 72% have been riding the system for more than three years, the same as 2020 and 27% have regular access to a car, up 6% from 2020.
We’re currently implementing action items from our 2022 Customer Experience Plan – and in the coming weeks we’ll be working across departments to identify new action items to respond to customers’ suggestions. Here are some of the improvements in the works:
Improving Cleanliness
- As of August, 49% of buses and 89% of rail cars had fabric seats replaced with new vinyl seats to make it easier to clean and maintain seats. We’re working to have all vinyl by early summer 2023.
- We’re putting a special emphasis on monitoring our elevators to ensure they are clean. We’ve also implemented cleaning surges on bus and rail lines, and at stations.
Security
- We’ve strategically deployed additional security on the system to enforce Metro rules and law enforcement to address crime.
- We’re installing more security cameras and lighting across the system.
- We’re working to get more riders to download and use the Transit Watch app to alert us of issues.
Customer Care
- We launched the Metro Ambassador Program our customers’ experience. More than 100 Transit Ambassadors have been trained and are being deployed on the K and B lines and at LA Union Station. The goal is to deploy 300 ambassadors by Feb. 2023.
- We’re doubling our homeless outreach teams to provide assistance to those in need.
- We’re adding crisis intervention teams for those in need of mental health assistance.
Here are some slides that show results from the 2022 survey:
Categories: Policy & Funding, Projects
Of I mind my own business 😌 it’s safe but always be on alert ⚠️ 📢 cuz that’s the kind of world we live in today.
Sad to say But, there isn’t much You can do. Maybe the bus has changes style & fare has gone up ,drivers are still rude! most aren’t. speeder & brakers hasn’t changed much and some people haven’t either & growing up in Los Angeles it hasn’t changed. I’m 67 now & I’ve had my share of incidents on the buses.Like most of us have! Always Remember;
EVERYTHING,COMES AT PRICE!!!
thankyou nso much for all youre help and for helping to enforce security to all riders and surroundings and for helping us riders on this hard economic times god bless one love
Bikes that passengers bring onboard the trains are getting bigger and bigger every year! Aside from the homeless taking so much space, bikes are another problem that Metro should be aware of. In addition, a lot of people now smoke(cigarettes and weed) inside the trains.
I wonder if Metro officers/officials have ever considered riding the Metro buses and trains to get a feel of what the riding public have to go through every single day? It’s easy to say that you feel for us, but if you do not have first-hand experience in what we are talking about, I am afraid nothing will ever be done to address our concerns.
I ride Metro 5 days a week and I do appreciate the drivers and thank them when I come in and get off …
On October, 14th at around 3:30-4pm on Santa Monica and Overland I got in like I do every week day, but this ride I took a real bad fall when the driver took off and then used the brakes to stop suddenly.. I was looking for a seat but couldn’t find one fast enough to hold on and there I went to the floor .. many people helped me get up but funny to say the drive just kept going … I was so hurt I couldn’t speak or complain to the driver … you can look the camera and see for yourself.. I’m short and short hair ! mostly I feel secure in the bus even with all the homeless around and many drivers are awesome! Thank You!
We need Security getting offf the Metro station green line at night it is so dangerous at night Also so many stanky homeless on the bus smelling up the bus .So many crazy homeless on the bus help we need protection on the bus and off the bus
Thanks for making a commitment to outreach to folks needing help. I’m also glad to see your ambassador program. Something that makes me feel unsafe on the train is the police there. They’re often very aggressive and seem to aggravate folks who are having a rough time already. Most also often refuse to wear masks, and even audibly make claims that masks are useless in public.
Kindly enforce safety by not allowing homeless folks and non-paying riders in the bus or the metro trains. This will involve more security enforcement. One customer is right, why do a survey (waste of money) when it is so obvious what is needed is law enforcement. Once this is done, you’ll have more riders, more funds (on the back end, less maintenance/cleaning issues of buses and trains), and I would guess less rude drivers.
I totally agree with B Rider. It seems the bus driver will NEVER challenge anyone that does not pay the fare. I pay every time I use the bus. It really upsets me seeing people getting on the bus and simply do not pay. And many of them CAN pay the fare, but elect not to. People just enter the back doors without paying and nothing is said. Its unfair to paying riders. I use the bus in Hawaii (am there several times a year) and the bus drivers do not tolerate non-paying people. They will not leave the bus stop until the person pays their fare. IF they do not pay, they do NOT ride. Its that simple. They do not have a problem with enforcement and NO ONE enters through the back doors either. People have been very relaxed with not paying since the pandemic. Its time to have enforcement! Too many homeless sleeping and making a mess in the vehicles. I remember before COVID, most stations had at least 2 policemen in the stations. Today, you see NOTHING. The subways are starting to look like New York. Comeon Metro, try to enforce the non-paying riders and clean up the subways. Make it feel safe. . .