University of California Institute of Transportation Studies

Transit agencies across the country are rethinking how to improve the customer service and safety experience for riders. One promising approach is the use of transit ambassadors that provide a visible, customer-focused presence at stations and on vehicles. Ambassadors help riders navigate the system; answer questions about schedules, routes, and fare payment; and help riders access assistance when needed. Los Angeles Metro launched its transit ambassador program as a pilot in 2022, initially contracting with two private firms to deploy ambassadors across its system. Within a year, the program expanded to roughly 300 ambassadors systemwide. Figure 1 illustrates LA Metro’s public safety ecosystem at the time of the program’s launch, showing how ambassadors fit alongside other unarmed and enforcement-based teams in supportingrider safety.