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Vital program supporting customers, saving lives has become critical part of Metro’s public safety ecosystem
As a reflection of the success and overwhelming customer support of the Metro Transit Ambassador program, the Board of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) approved the collective bargaining agreement with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Union (Teamsters) to represent Transit Ambassador personnel effective July 1, 2025. The Board also approved 85 additional Ambassador program positions to manage the program in house and expand Ambassadors coverage on more bus lines and new stations that will be opening before the end of the calendar year.
With these actions, Metro can begin the process of building an in-house Metro Ambassador department, which the Metro Board approved in October 2023. Metro will begin the process of hiring those Ambassadors who are currently deployed on the system through two contractors.
“I’ve been impressed by the support the Metro Ambassadors provide to transit riders,” said Fernando Dutra, Metro Board Chair and Whittier Council Member. “They connect riders to resources they need and provide a welcoming and visible presence that customers rely on, and help Metro respond to issues more quickly.”
A 2023 survey of Metro customers found that the visible presence of Metro Ambassadors contributes to the perceptions of safety. Sixty-three percent (63%) of survey respondents who reported having seen Ambassadors stated that seeing made them feel safer. That number increases to 66% among women and among people earning less than $25K a year, 68% among people Hispanic/Latinos and people under the age of 18 and 70% among Asian/Pacific Islanders.
As part of the Board’s approval, Metro’s FY26 Budget was amended to include $11.8 million for the implementation of the new wages and benefits for the approval of the final collective bargaining agreement. This collective bargaining agreement will result in the addition of 388 contract positions (Teamsters) comprised of 309 Transit Ambassador program staff who are currently in the field, and 79 new Transit Ambassadors to continue and expand the visible presence and in-person support across the Metro bus system, as well as the new Metro/LAX Transit Center, A Line extension to Pomona and D Line extension to West L.A.. In addition, Metro will add 49 positions for Supervisors to oversee Ambassador staff in the field and two non-contract positions to oversee expanded day-to-day operations, staff training, reporting and customer experience improvements related to the Ambassador program.
“Metro Ambassadors have been an incredible addition to our system, helping us make it friendlier and safer, while keeping a watchful eye out for issues that need to be addressed,” said Stephanie Wiggins, CEO of Metro. “They’re a key part of our customer experience and safety strategies, as we work to deliver the type of world-class transit service necessary for us to become the first choice for transportation among LA County residents and visitors.”
Metro Ambassadors are an essential part of the Metro public safety ecosystem, in concert with transit security, law enforcement, homeless outreach and crisis intervention teams. They help riders navigate the Metro system, provide them with assistance, connect them to resources, and report any issues that need to be addressed on the system. This includes summoning emergency help for those customers in distress, as well as providing critical live-saving support; the Ambassadors have saved 334 lives through suicide prevention and the use of NARCAN.
For more information, please visit metro.net/riding/ambassadors/.
About Metro
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is building the most ambitious transportation infrastructure program in the United States and is working to greatly improve mobility through its Vision 2028 Plan. Metro is the lead transportation planning and funding agency for L.A. County and carries nearly 1 million boardings daily on four light rail and two subway lines and 119 bus lines utilizing more than 2,000 low-emission buses.
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