Metro is one of the more accessible agencies. Board and committee meetings are back in person and public comment, as well as rallies outside Metro headquarters, is lively. Metro also has a Policy Advisory Council with 30 representatives from local organizations and smaller transit agencies, and those meetings are also open to the public. There are also various advisory councils that anyone can join, including the Youth Council and others organized by geographic regions. And Metro’s special advisory committees for specific initiatives, like its Public Safety Advisory Committee, ensure that community experts play a large role in changing Metro policy.

As Metro considers creating its own in-house police force, advocates are pushing to use that money for other system and station improvements, including funding unarmed positions that help riders feel safer and navigate the system. This, they argue, would help boost ridership more than doubling down on armed officers. And bus riders still need to be guaranteed the same types of amenities and service that rail riders already receive. Part of that advocacy includes coordinated interagency organizing. Because Metro has no jurisdiction where it operates, much-needed amenities like bus shelters and bus lanes can only be installed in cooperation with cities.

Key Advocacy Groups to Follow

ACT-LA

SAJE

Los Angeles Walks

People for Mobility Justice

Bike LA

Move LA

Our Streets Action Committee

Streets for All

CicLAvia

Active SGV

Investing in Place

Climate Resolve

NRDC

Slate-Z

Keep reading to learn more about other transportation agencies.