Metro Board OKs Addition Of Transit Rider Among Their Rank

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles Metro Board of Directors Thursday approved a motion to add a dedicated transit rider among their ranks, with the goal of giving everyday commuters who rely on public transportation a seat at the table.

The board directed staff to coordinate with agency community advisory councils, community-based organizations and other groups and create a process for selecting the rider representative. Any changes to Metro's board composition will need to be approved through state legislation, according to officials.

Board members L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn, Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson and Pomona Mayor Tim Sandoval authored the motion last week.

"Together, we took a big step toward making Metro more representative of the people we serve. A dedicated rider would bring a different kind of expertise on what's working, what's frustrating and how our policies affect the people who rely on this system every day," Hahn said in a statement. "This isn't about replacing anyone's voice. It's about adding a perspective we don't currently have."

An earlier version of the motion had also proposed adding a dedicated seat for small cities in the county, but during Thursday's meeting, Hahn moved to refer that proposal back to the Ad Hoc Board Composition Committee for further study.

Metro is in the process of examining the future makeup of its governing board following the passage of Measure G, which expands the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from five members to nine by 2032.

Alfonso Directo Jr., advocacy director for ACT-LA, welcomed the vote, adding that the people closest to the problems are closest to the solutions.

"Transit riders, especially bus riders, who feel the impact of a late bus on their everyday lives have an invaluable perspective on mobility in L.A.," Directo said in a statement. "Voting transit riders on Metro Board would prioritize and uplift a different set of issues than someone who has been elected, and transit riders deserve a direct say on how Metro runs transit."

Eli Lipmen, executive director of Move LA, said Hahn's motion was a huge step forward for Metro.

Lipmen noted that transit riders have served and successfully led transit boards in other jurisdictions.

"Just ask Congresswoman Lateefah Simon, who served on the BART board as a rider and an accessibility advocate before getting elected to Congress, or founder of Ride New Orleans Fred Neal, Jr., who chaired the New Orleans RTA board and served for eight years," Lipmen said in a statement.

City News Service