Cities that are heavily dependent on personal cars are unlikely to reach their climate goals if they don’t reshape their mobility systems. Consider Los Angeles, a city well known for traffic congestion. Cars account for 93% of all commuter distance traveled, and their popularity is a driving factor in why Los Angeles is not on track to achieving its Paris Agreement commitments of limiting climate change to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2030, according to Oliver Wyman Forum research.
Ongoing public transit plans will help. LA Metro, the transportation authority for Los Angeles County, is expanding metro lines, active mobility, and multimodal projects as part of a 30-year program. Recent 2024 grants have also provided a boon: A $139 million federal infrastructure grant will fund bus-only lanes and mobility hubs for first- and last-mile trips to sports venues when the city hosts the 2026 World Cup, the 2028 Olympic Games, and other events, while a more recent $77.5 million grant will fund battery-powered electric bus purchases, charging infrastructure, and workforce training.
But the first step in getting commuters to travel using these other modes is raising awareness of new, upgraded infrastructure, according to Heather Repenning, executive officer of sustainability policy at LA Metro. Repenning recently spoke to Lauren Wylie, global head of sustainability for Oliver Wyman, about Los Angeles’ sustainable mobility transition.
What’s going to prompt people who have driven cars for 30 years to stop and take Metro instead?
We’re looking at the 2028 Olympic Games as an opportunity to bring permanent investments in low- or zero-emissions modes and to create lasting changes in how Angelenos choose to travel. But we are not waiting until 2028 to start. Instead, we are taking advantage of other events before then, like we did with a series of Taylor Swift concerts last summer or will with the upcoming World Cup events in 2026.
While attracting new riders, whether sports fans or Swifties, is one goal of our agency, our ongoing concern is to make our system work for the ridership base that depends on Metro for their everyday transportation needs, and who used our buses and trains even in the depths of the pandemic to get to work. In addition to investing in expanded transit, providing safe, frequent, and high-quality service is the way to retain and support existing riders as well as to attract new folks to Metro.
How is LA Metro engaging with the public and private sectors in achieving this vision?
Metro is engaged in an ongoing partnership with the private sector through the planning and build-out of our very extensive capital program — the largest of its kind in the nation, which is funded through a voter-approved sales tax. This year’s budget allocation alone is $2.2 billion, and we are completing major projects including the Airport Metro Connector and the Purple Line Extension along historic Wilshire Boulevard. We are a significant job creator and a major player in the regional economy, and we wouldn’t be able to do these projects without industry partners.
We are also playing a role in solving the housing crisis in our region. We are committed to helping create 10,000 units of affordable housing by partnering with developers to build on the land above our stations.
We have numerous other partnerships with industry, and we try to provide an environment that inspires innovation — including in climate-facing technology.
Los Angeles’ mobility strategy for the Olympics is to host a mass-transit-first games. What does that mean, exactly?
Los Angeles submitted an Olympic bid based on a “no build” concept — as in, we already have enough excellent entertainment venues in our region to host most of the events. Mobility is a big theme of the plans, which include mobility hubs that provide an array of transportation services, as well as expanded bus-only lanes.
And while we’re creating a transportation system for the Olympics, it’s my hope that it will permanently yield more sustainable transportation options.
We want to build a lasting legacy of improvements for the Games, so that more people will use our transit system in LA, and we can realize all the environmental and social benefits of our robust transit system. The Olympics and Paralympics will undoubtedly change the way people move in our region.
LA Metro has one of the most aggressive fleet electrification timelines in the US. What are the barriers for LA Metro in achieving this plan?
There are several challenges with adopting zero-emissions technology — the major one being the cost, not only of the new vehicles but of all the charging infrastructure for a fleet of 2,200 vehicles. We are, however, pursuing every possible grant opportunity, which has been substantial at both the state and federal level. We were recently awarded $77.5 million from the Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the electrification of one of our bus divisions.
Our buses run most of the day and over a long distance with frequent stops, so we are excited to see improvements in battery technology along with our planned pilot of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. We, along with other transit agencies and school districts, are also hoping that the US-based manufacturing marketplace for battery-powered electric buses bounces back from what has been a difficult couple of years.
This is a big, challenging endeavor led by our Operations teams, but given that LA County has the worst air quality in the US and that California is a well-established leader in climate action, there is a lot of support for this investment, which will benefit local communities in multiple ways.
What is the plan to drive commuters to mobility hubs and buses? What is the expectation for consumers to choose modes other than their own cars?
There's a huge focus on creating a great customer experience. Increased speed and reliability of our bus system and expanded accessibility and rail service will help. But making riders feel safe is key, and we have innovative plans to accomplish that. We have an ambassador program in which friendly, trained, and uniformed workers move through our stations and bus systems to help people find their way or coordinate with public safety services. Our board also recently approved a staff proposal to create an in-house safety department that would provide expertise on securing our vast system.
We also must keep our public transit systems affordable. We’re proud of our low-income fares and our “GoPass system” — the latter of which is essentially a free transit pass for students at participating schools. It’s a great way to build a customer base for the future.
Anything else you want to share?
We have big plans at LA Metro, and I encounter a fair amount of skepticism as to whether Los Angeles can become less of a car-centric city. But I believe that we are on the pathway to do that and it’s going to change the way that people interact with each other and their communities.