Transit leaders across the West Coast are navigating a shared reality. Rider expectations are rising, budgets remain constrained, and climate and equity goals are now central to public-sector decision-making. For Los Angeles, these pressures are compounded by a major global moment on the horizon: LA28. At the Los Angeles Transit Summit, leaders from cities, counties, MPOs, operators, and regional agencies came together to compare notes on what’s working, what’s changing, and what it truly takes to modernize transit at scale.
Here are the key themes that emerged from the day:
Whether the focus was fixed routes, microtransit, or paratransit, success was consistently framed at the network level. On-demand services delivered the greatest impact when deployed intentionally—filling coverage gaps, strengthening first- and last-mile connections, and supporting high-frequency corridors. When services are planned together, agencies gain flexibility without creating a fragmented rider experience.
For decades, transit systems were optimized for predictability. What leaders described in LA was something different: systems designed to respond. On-demand zones that expand as ridership grows. Fixed routes that evolve as demand shifts. Service hours that reflect how people actually move through a city. Flexibility is no longer treated as a pilot or an experiment—it’s becoming a baseline expectation, especially for regions facing rapid growth, climate pressures, and major global events.
The strongest examples shared weren’t framed as equity initiatives. They were framed as better transit. Services designed around seniors, riders with disabilities, car-free households, and low-income communities consistently delivered higher ridership, stronger satisfaction, and better efficiency. The takeaway was clear: when you design for the most constrained riders, the entire system benefits.
Throughout the day, leaders pointed to a quieter but significant shift in how transit decisions are informed. Real-world trip data is replacing assumptions and historical precedent. Agencies now have clearer insight into where demand spreads, where it concentrates, where fixed routes struggle, and where on-demand performs best. That visibility is enabling transit leaders to move faster, make more confident decisions, and build greater public trust.
From small cities to the largest agencies in the country, leaders emphasized that growth isn’t about running more services—it’s about aligning the ones already in place. Shared fleets. Unified driver pools. Integrated planning and operations. The agencies seeing the biggest gains weren’t always the biggest; they were the ones most willing to rethink how services work together.
With LA28 top of mind, the conversation quickly moved beyond temporary fixes. Leaders were candid: if a system can’t meet everyday demand, it won’t hold up during peak moments. The agencies best positioned for global events are using them as forcing functions—accelerating modernization, testing integration, and investing in changes that will last long after the crowds are gone.
From autonomous vehicles to real-time operations, innovation was welcomed, but with clear conditions. The most compelling pilots weren’t flashy. They were focused, practical, and deeply tied to rider experience. Technology wasn’t positioned as the future of transit. It was framed as a responsibility: to improve reliability, expand access, and strengthen public trust.
What emerged in Los Angeles wasn’t a single solution or silver bullet. It was a shared understanding that the future of transit depends on how well systems work together, how quickly they can adapt, and how intentionally they’re designed around real riders. Across the West Coast, leaders aren’t waiting for perfect conditions. They’re building networks that can evolve, respond, and perform better over time—setting a clearer direction for what modern public transit can be.