Metrolink faces permanent cuts amid rolling stock troubles, budget deficit
Los Angeles' Metro and Orange County's OCTA are seeking to cut nearly $10 million from the Metrolink budget.
Following a rolling stock crisis that forced Metrolink to temporarily cut 15% of its service, further funding shortfalls are threatening the future of the service.
Metrolink—the commuter rail operator for much of Southern California—operates 162 trains daily on weekdays and 60 trains daily on weekends. Recently, mechanical issues and replacement part shortages forced the agency to temporarily cut 32 of those regularly scheduled trips in March. The service reductions are planned for a period of 7 weeks. Metrolink’s Arrow line, which runs different rolling stock under a separate funding agreement, is not included in these statistics or the reductions.
Now, the agency faces further threats to its long-term viability as the transit agencies for Los Angeles County (Metro) and Orange County (OCTA) seek to reduce their contributions to Metrolink’s annual budget.
According to a March staff transmittal, Metrolink is facing several issues that threaten the agency’s future operations.1 Fare recovery and ridership fell significantly below budget estimates, resulting in a $15 million shortfall. On top of this, contracts—which account for 48% of Metrolink’s budget—are facing unavoidable cost increases due to factors such as union labor agreements.
Furthermore, Metro and OCTA, the two largest contributors to Metrolink’s annual budget,2 want to reduce their contribution to the agency by $4.3 million and $5.2 million, respectively. This represents a 3% reduction of Metro’s annual contribution and a 10% reduction of OCTA’s. An internal transmittal by OCTA states that the agency reduced its contribution to “[ensure] the financial sustainability of rail operations through 2041.”3
A combination of those factors has led to a budget shortfall of $30 million with current service levels.4 The current schedule, established in October 2024, increased service by 22.5% from previous levels, added 32 weekday trains, and optimized crews, trains and scheduling.5 Service reductions due to the shortfall could lead riders to “see mid-day and evening trains permanently cut and no improvements to mediocre weekend service,” according to the passenger rail advocate organization, Californians for Electric Rail.
Metrolink staff are looking to several strategies to combat the shortfall; One proposal is to increase one-way and day pass ticket prices, which have not been modified in the last 13 years. Staff are also looking to explore any and all cost reductions that can be made, with internal documents stating “no stone is being left unturned.”6 Despite this, the Metrolink staff report stated that train operation costs “are the only costs within our control that are significant enough to fully close such a substantial budget shortfall.”
The budget issues have led the agency to delay the budget, usually finalized in May, by three months.7 Pushing the budget back to August gives the agency additional time to explore different options for resolving the budget issues, as well as allowing for refinement of the ridership forecasting model.
Metro and OCTA are still finalizing their budgets, which are due in June. There are several opportunities to comment on the budget before it is finalized and approved. Below are the scheduled dates listed by Metro and OCTA:
Budget Workshop (OCTA) – May 11
Finance & Administration Committee (OCTA) – May 21
Finance & Budget Public Hearing (Metro) - May 21
Board Meeting & Approval (Metro) - May 28
Budget Hearing & Board Approval (OCTA) – June 8
Back-up Budget Hearing & Board Approval (OCTA) – June 22
Californians for Electric Rail additionally recommended submitting public comment at the Metro Board meetings on April 23rd and May 28th, as well as OCTA board meetings on April 27th and May 11th.
The budget issues come as the Metrolink prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
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At this point just do buses bro