What is it actually like to ride the bus in Los Angeles?
To answer that question, Investing in Place partnered with community organizations and bus riders to conduct first-hand audits of six major Metro bus lines serving neighborhoods across Los Angeles.
More than 50 riders participated, documenting their experiences waiting for and riding the bus. Together, they completed audits at 244 bus stops and shared observations about reliability, accessibility, comfort, and safety.
The findings were clear.
Reliability Matters
Nearly half of participants reported that the bus did not arrive when they expected it to.
For many riders, uncertainty and waiting are a significant part of the transit experience.
Bus Stops Need Investment
Many bus stops lacked basic amenities.
Nearly half of the stops observed were described as dirty or affected by litter. More than one-quarter lacked shade, an especially important concern in a region experiencing increasingly extreme heat.
Accessibility Remains a Challenge
Bus riders regularly include older adults and people using wheelchairs, canes, crutches, and other mobility devices.
Yet auditors documented bus stops without accessible boarding areas, narrow sidewalks, and locations where passengers were forced to wait too close to moving traffic.
Riders Know What They Need
When asked what would improve their trips, riders consistently called for:
- More reliable service
- More frequent buses
- Faster travel times
- Additional shade and seating
- Cleaner bus stops
- Bus-only lanes
Perhaps most importantly, the report centers the voices of people who rely on transit every day.
Too often, discussions about transportation happen without hearing directly from bus riders. This project was designed to change that.
Their experiences remind us that transit is not just about buses. It is also about sidewalks, shade, accessibility, maintenance, and the public spaces that connect people to the places they need to go.
We hope this report helps policymakers, transit agencies, and community leaders better understand the everyday experience of riding the bus in Los Angeles and supports future investments that make transit more accessible, comfortable, and reliable.
