GTrans Service Restoration Plan (1/12/24)

GTrans Restoration Plan Summary:

(Updated January 2024)

Over the last few years, GTrans had to quickly adapt to the impacts of COVID-19 and the federal, state and local mandates that were implemented to stop the spread of the virus. Working through the restrictions, GTrans’ service remained a lifeline for many who needed to take essential trips to medical appointments, essential jobs, grocery store, etc. During this time, a significant reduction in ridership and manpower required GTrans to reduce its service significantly. Through these challenges, GTrans was able to deliver service safely, protecting our employees and customers with rear-door boarding, physical distancing, facemask requirements and capacity restrictions.

As the restrictions of COVID-19 continued to be lifted, GTrans worked on a plan to restore service to pre-pandemic levels.  Within the last few years, GTrans has continued to work towards restoring service per the plan. The Gardena City Council approved a set of service improvements following extensive public outreach in late 2019 that were to go into effect in early 2020. However, because of the pandemic, the approved service changes were not implemented at that time and instead a temporary modified schedule was set for each line.

As of January 2024, portions of this modified schedule continue to remain effective due to continuing manpower shortages being experienced nationwide across multiple transit agencies. GTrans has been increasing its recruiting efforts and reevaluating each line’s ridership trends to find ways to restore service given the current demand and available resources.

UPDATE:

GTrans is continuing to hire Relief Bus Operators and other positions, hosting job fairs and participating in recruitment campaigns. As we continue to hire and train operators, GTrans will be staggering the restoration in phases focusing on improving frequencies on high-demand routes. GTrans will be looking at ridership trends, demand, and current labor resources to make improvements.

GTrans is developing a new microtransit pilot service (Flexi) expected to launch in Spring 2024.

Line 1X
Currently, Line 1X is running the weekend schedule on weekdays; Saturday and Sundays have continued on their normal schedule. Line 1X is not going to downtown Los Angeles at this time.

In 2019, City Council-approved modifications to the schedule and resuming traveling to downtown Los Angeles during peak periods only (no service to downtown between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.). This plan is currently on hold as GTrans works on restoring the service.

GTrans staff will be reevaluating the line to determine a restoration that best fits current ridership trends and resources.

Line 2

Weekday service was restored to 2019 City Council-approved levels on April 18, 2021. This service currently operates every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends.

Line 3
As of January 21, 2024 Line 3 will operate a separate weekday and weekend schedule with later service on weekday evenings; Saturday and Sundays continue on their normal schedule. Service to Bishop Montgomery High resumed for morning and afternoon service.

Line 4
On August 17, 2021, limited morning and afternoon service on school days was restored and will continue during school days.

GTrans is considering permanently reducing service on Line 4 to the current limited AM and PM service during school days due to low ridership trends over the years. In the meantime, Line 4 will continue to remain on hold until GTrans completes its analysis.

Line 5
As of January 21, 2024, Line 5 will run its weekday schedule now with an improved 45-minute frequency instead of its previous 60-minute frequency. The plan is still to restore service to its regular pre-pandemic schedule, operating on weekdays only between 5:35 a.m. and 8:27 p.m.

GTrans staff continues to evaluate Line 5 to find a frequency and span that better fits the current demand and available resources.

Line 7X
GTrans implemented Sunday service to the Inglewood Sports and Entertainment District out of the Harbor Gateway Transit Center on September 12, 2021. The line became a permanent part of the GTrans’ fleet effective July 24, 2022. The line will run only on Sundays every thirty minutes from 8:30 AM to 8:30 PM.

New Microtransit Service
GTrans is finalizing the design of its new pilot on-demand microtransit service called Flexi, approved by the Gardena City Council on December 12, 2023, which will improve our Special Transit paratransit program and provide new access to all customers with origins and destinations within the City of Gardena. This on-demand, rideshare service uses “virtual stops” from which customers would be able to take short trips using small vehicles. Trips will be scheduled on-demand using a phone, a computer, or a smart phone app.

GTrans Restoration Plan Summary Table: Please click to view the image.

PREVIOUS PUBLIC MEETINGS 

Thursday, May 11, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m. Service Restoration & Microtransit Presentation

Thursday, March 31, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. Public Hearing on Line 7X &  Child Fare Policy Change Presentation (Includes an update on the Restoration Plan)

Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. Service Restoration Plan Public Meeting Presentation