The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), branded as Metro, is the state agency that plans, operates, and coordinates funding for most of the transportation system in Los Angeles County, California, the most populated county in the United States.
Metro directly operates a large public transit system that includes bus, bus rapid transit, light rail, and rapid transit services. The agency also provides funding for transit it does not operate, including Metrolink commuter rail, municipal bus operators and paratransit services. The agency also provides funding and directs planning for the Los Angeles freeway system and railroad projects within the county. The agency is distinct from and not a part of the county government, instead being a separate state agency.
In , the Metro system had a total ridership of , and had a ridership of per weekday as of . It is the largest transit agency by ridership in the state of California, and the second-largest in the United States after the New York City Transit Authority.
Background
Metro was formed on February 1, 1993, by the California State Legislature which merged two rival agencies: the Southern California Rapid Transit District (RTD) and the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission (LACTC).
The RTD was founded on August 18, 1964, to operate most public transportation in the urbanized Southern California region, including Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, and Riverside counties. RTD replaced the major predecessor public agency, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority, and took over eleven failing other bus companies and services in the Southern California region.metro.net history. Retrieved April 4, 2004. Services outside of Los Angeles County began to be divested in the early 1980s.
The LACTC began operation in 1977 after a state requirement that all counties form local transportation commissions. Its main objective was to be the guardian of all transportation funding, both transit and highway, for Los Angeles County.
The bickering between the two agencies came to a head in the 1980s. At that time, the LACTC was building the Blue Line (now A Line) light rail line between Los Angeles and Long Beach, while the RTD was building the Red Line (now B Line) subway in Downtown Los Angeles. It was revealed that due to disputes between the agencies, the LACTC was planning to end the Blue Line at Pico Station, instead of serving the 7th Street/Metro Center station being built by the RTD six blocks north.
Metro has assumed the functions of both agencies and now develops and oversees transportation plans, policies, funding programs, and both short-term and long-range solutions to mobility, accessibility and environmental needs in the county. The agency is also the primary public transit provider for the city of Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States, providing the bulk of such services, even though the city's own Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) operates a smaller bus only public transit system of its own called DASH within the MTA service area in the city of Los Angeles, often overlapping with some Metro Bus routes and stops in several neighborhoods primarily in the central part of the city.
Since 1995, the agency has been based out of the Metro Headquarters Building, a 26-story high-rise office tower located next to Los Angeles Union Station, a major transportation hub and the main train station for the Los Angeles metropolitan area, which it has also owned since purchasing it in 2011."Help & Contacts ." Los Angeles Metro. Retrieved on March 18, 2010.
Metro operates the second-largest public transportation system in the United States by ridership with a 1,433 mi2 (3,711 km2) operating area and 2,000 peak hour buses on the street any given business day. Metro also operates of urban rail service. Metro has 10,290 employees, making it one of the region's largest employers.
Metro also partially funds sixteen municipal bus operators and an array of transportation projects including bikeways and pedestrian facilities, local roads and highway improvements, goods movement, Metrolink regional commuter rail, freeway service patrol, and freeway call boxes within Los Angeles County.
To increase sustainability in transportation services, Metro also provides bike and pedestrian improvements for the over 10.1 million residents of Los Angeles County.
Security and law enforcement services on Metro property (including buses and trains) are currently provided by the Transit Services Bureau via contract, in conjunction with Metro Transit Enforcement Department and the Los Angeles Police Department (Union Station and all Metro rail services within the City of Los Angeles).
Since 2024, Metro has partnered with Throne Labs to install portable toilets at its rail and busway stations.
Services
Metro Rail
Metro Rail is an urban rail transit system with four light rail lines and two rapid transit lines. , the system runs a total of , with 110 stations.
is a light rail line running between Pomona and Long Beach via Downtown Los Angeles. is a rapid transit line running between North Hollywood and Downtown Los Angeles. is a light rail line running between Westchester and Norwalk, largely in the median of Interstate 105. It provides direct access to Los Angeles International Airport via the LAX/Metro Transit Center. is a rapid transit line running between Beverly Hills and Downtown Los Angeles. As of May 2026, the line is currently being extended westward. is a light rail line running between Santa Monica and East Los Angeles via Downtown Los Angeles. is a light rail line running between Expo/Crenshaw and Redondo Beach via Westchester. It also provides direct access to Los Angeles International Airport via the LAX/Metro Transit Center.
Metro Bus
Metro is the primary bus operator in the Los Angeles Basin, the San Fernando Valley, and the western San Gabriel Valley until Arcadia going east. Other regions of Los Angeles County, including the Antelope Valley and the eastern San Gabriel Valley, are served by separate bus operators, which receive some funding from Metro.
, the Metro Bus system includes 117 routes, serving over 11,000 bus stops. Most Metro Bus lines are local services, stopping at marked stops approximately every two blocks. Limited-stop Metro Rapid services stop only at major intersections, and Metro Express services utilize the extensive Southern California freeways to provide nonstop service between regional destinations.
Metro Busway
Metro Busway is a bus rapid transit system with two lines operating on dedicated or shared-use busways. The system runs a total of , with 29 stations and over 42,000 daily weekday boardings as of May 2016.
The Metro Busway system is meant to mimic the Metro Rail system, both in the vehicle's design and in the operation of the line. Vehicles stop at dedicated stations (except for the portion of the Metro J Line in Downtown Los Angeles), vehicles receive priority at intersections and are painted in a silver livery similar to Metro Rail vehicles.
is a bus rapid transit line running between Chatsworth and North Hollywood. Some trips terminate in Canoga Park. is a bus rapid transit line running between El Monte, Downtown Los Angeles, and Harbor Gateway, with some trips continuing to San Pedro.
Busways The Metro Busway J Line operates over two busways, semi-exclusive roadways built into the Southern California freeway system. These busways are also used by other bus routes to speed up their trips. The El Monte Busway is a combination busway and high-occupancy toll (HOT) roadway that runs in the median of the San Bernardino Freeway (I-10) and on a separate right-of-way. The busway provides express bus service between Downtown LA and the San Gabriel Valley. Services on the busway are operated by both Metro and Foothill Transit. The Harbor Transitway is a combination busway and HOT roadway that runs in the median of the Harbor Freeway (I-110). The busway provides express bus service between San Pedro and Downtown LA. Services on the busway are operated by Metro, LADOT, and Torrance Transit.
Other services Metro Art: A program of Los Angeles Metro that commissions and integrates public art into Metro stations and facilities to enhance the transit experience of Los Angeles County. Metro Bike Share: A bicycle-sharing system in Downtown LA, Central LA, Hollywood, North Hollywood and on the Westside. Metro ExpressLanes: High-occupancy toll lanes on the El Monte Busway and Harbor Transitway. Metro Freeway Service Patrol: A joint effort between Metro, Caltrans, and the California Highway Patrol offering free quick-fix repairs and towing from freeways. Metro Micro: An on-demand transit service, operated using vans in 8 zones around the region Bike paths: of bike facilities for commuter and recreational purposes. HOV (Carpool) Lanes: , both directions/each lane, of carpool, vanpool, and express bus lanes. Metrolink: Partially funded by Metro, it is Southern California's regional commuter rail system. Pacific Surfliner: Partially funded by Metro. Metro has two board seats in the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency
Fares and fare collection The base fare for Metro services, including local and express buses and Metro Rail, is $1.75. Metro introduced daily and 7-day fare caps in July 2023, replacing upfront rolling daily and 7-day passes, while rolling 30-day passes were axed entirely, and as a result, the only unlimited travel options available are the daily and 7-day fare caps. With fare capping, the cost of each trip is credited towards the cost of a daily or 7-day unlimited pass, automatically ensuring that all passengers pay the lowest fare possible. Discounted or free fares are available for seniors, disabled individuals, Medicare recipients, low-income individuals, and students.
The primary method of payment for Metro fares is the TAP card, a contactless stored-value card. TAP cards are valid on Metro buses and trains, and on 26 other transit agencies in Los Angeles County. TAP cards are required for Metro Rail trips, free bus transfers, and fare capping; however, single-ride bus fares can still be paid in cash. TAP cards can be purchased at station fare machines, local vendors, online, and at Metro Customer Care Centers.
Before the start of the 2026 World Cup, Metro has also allowed contactless payment for bus and train fares, along with other participating LA County transit services.
Fare gates are installed at all B, C, D and K Line stations, along with select A and E Line stations. Fare gates were added after 2007 to reduce fare evasion. At the time, the decision was criticized for its cost and perceived ineffectiveness.
K-12 and community college students who attend participating schools within the Los Angeles Area can enroll in the Metro's GoPass program, cutting the already discounted fares to unlimited free rides for such students. The program is not limited to LA Metro services, and is accepted by 15 other transit systems in Los Angeles County. The program began as a two-year pilot program in 2021, was granted a one-year extension then was announced as permanent in April 2024.
Fare typeRegularSenior (62+)/Disabled/MedicareStudent(K-12/College/Vocational) (without GoPass)Student (with GoPass)Low Income (LIFE)Base fare$1.75$0.35 (off-peak)$0.75 (peak)$0.75Free20 free rides, then regular fare1-day cap$5$2.50$2.507-day cap$18$5$6Metro-to-Muni transfer$0.50$0.25$0.50—
Security Metro contracted security efforts to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, and the Long Beach Police Department. On June 27, 2024, the Metro board voted to form an independent police force for the transit system in order to reduce costs and address increasing violence against bus and rail operators.