Promoting shared responsibility and mutual respect to improve the rider experience

            The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) today launched “Keep Metro Clean and Safe,” an awareness and compliance campaign promoting a shared responsibility between employees and riders to protect each other against COVID-19 and improve the customer experience.

             Metro will increase compliance with rules requiring masks to be worn and banning smoking and littering on the system. Customers have consistently raised these concerns as the top factors in whether they continue riding the Metro system. As part of the campaign’s awareness efforts, Metro employees will invite riders to be partners in creating a healthier, safer, and more enjoyable experience.

“Metro has heard our riders call for a cleaner, safer system loud and clear,” said Metro Board Chair and Chair of Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Hilda L. Solis. “This new campaign is quite measured and appeals to the better angels of our nature: We must all treat our fellow riders and our transit system like we would our own home, personal property or friend. We must all do our part to make our transit system cleaner, safer and more enjoyable for everyone who depends on it.”  

            The campaign is part of a broader effort to restore ridership to pre-pandemic levels and serve new customers. Bus service is already returning to pre-pandemic levels, aided by ongoing improvements delivered by the NextGen Bus Plan, which is reimagining the bus system to deliver faster and more frequent, reliable and accessible service.

            Metro employees will provide friendly reminders to customers to encourage their voluntary compliance. A customer will have every reasonable chance to avoid Metro action by bringing themselves into compliance.

“One of my top priorities is to make Metro the first choice for transportation in the region, because our customers have an experience that is second to none. This depends on how well we listen and respond to our riders in improving our service,” said Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins. “We recognize and embrace our responsibility to provide a cleaner, safer and respectful environment. At the same time, improving the overall experience in a real way is everyone’s responsibility. We want our customers to feel a sense of pride and ownership of the system.”

Campaign elements will include news announcements, pop-up mask distribution events, bus and train audio announcements, posted signs and digital signage at key station platforms, bus and rail car cards, social media posts and email communications to key agency stakeholders, among others. The “Keep Metro Clean and Safe” campaign focuses on three important Metro rules:

• Masks – Masks are required to be worn per Federal law. Metro will ask customers to do their part and wear a face mask. Masks should also cover the nose and mouth and be worn at all times when using public transit. As part of this campaign, Metro staff will freely distribute masks to those who do not have them at key transit stations throughout the system over the coming months. In additional efforts to help protect riders from COVID-19, Metro has also opened several free vaccination sites at key transit stations, including Los Angeles Union Station.
• Smoking – Metro is a no-smoking zone. The agency will ask customers to extinguish their cigarette or smoking device to help ensure the health of fellow riders.
• Littering – Metro is a no-littering zone. Customers should throw all trash, including used face masks, into designated trash receptacles, not the floor of the transit vehicle, station platform or adjacent Metro properties.

Campaign elements were developed cooperatively by Metro’s Office of the CEO, Customer Experience, System Security and Law Enforcement, Operations, Communications and other agency teams. 

For more information about Metro’s Keep Metro Clean and Safe campaign, visit lbt-preprod.la-metro-web.net.

Editor’s Note: Metro Operators are crucial to keeping LA moving. Metro is currently hiring more than 500 bus operators and is offering a $1,000 bonus for coming aboard. This is a great career opportunity. Metro offers competitive hourly rates starting at $17.75 for part-time bus operators and benefits include health insurance, tuition reimbursements, paid training, retirement plan options and part-time flexible hours. Please encourage friends, family and community members to become a part of the Metro team that provides excellence in service and support and keeps our region moving. Apply at metro.net/driveLA.

About Metro

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is currently providing lifeline service for essential trips and frontline workers. Metro continues building the most ambitious transportation infrastructure program in the United States and is working to greatly improve mobility through its Vision 2028 Plan.

Metro has proudly pledged to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Health and Safety Commitment Program to help ensure the safe return of transit riders as the U.S. recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stay informed by following Metro on The Source and El Pasajero at metro.net, facebook.com/losangelesmetro, twitter.com/metrolosangeles and twitter.com/metroLAalerts and instagram.com/metrolosangeles.