Bass to Lead Metro Board Amid Ridership Gains

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, entering her second term as chair of the Metro Board, outlined four priorities—safety, affordability, reliability and readiness—and pushed a long-term strategy to make Metro fare-free while expanding peak-hour bus lanes from 80 to more than 100 miles by 2028, timed to the Olympic preparations. She framed transit as a tool to improve quality of life and highlighted lessons from the World Cup as proof the system can move large crowds under pressure. Bass also emphasized ongoing safety initiatives, including growing the LIFE program and establishing an in-house Department of Public Safety, as part of a broader effort to boost reliability and readiness. The leadership shake-up on the Metro Board will see Fernando Dutra step down with Rex Richardson succeeding him, along with retirements and new appointments to replace other members in the near future. Ongoing projects, such as a North Hollywood to Pasadena bus rapid transit route, face legal and permitting hurdles that could delay construction, including a recent court decision affecting a Burbank segment. The agency points to positive safety metrics, including a 22% drop in violent crime on the system over two years and zero security incidents on World Cup shuttle services.