Metro is gradually moving forward to expand all-door boarding on its buses. Earlier today, the Metro board Executive Management Committee approved a staff plan to expand all-door boarding to Metro’s two busiest bus lines: Line 720 Wilshire Blvd Rapid and Line 754 Vermont Avenue Rapid. All-door boarding improves the rider experience by shortening the dwell time while buses pick up passengers. It also saves the agency money.

All-door boarding is standard on every San Francisco MTA bus line. Boston’s MBTA recently committed to fully implement all-door boarding by 2020.

Metro implemented all-door boarding on the Silver Line BRT in 2016, after a small trial on Wilshire.

Lines 720 and 754 were selected as they have the highest ridership, high concentration of stops on the far side of the intersection, high wheelchair activity, and high percentage of cash customers. They also run with articulated buses, so there are more doors for riders to enter.

The project requires the purchase and installation of 450 Bus Mobile Validators to allow riders to TAP at all doors. This will cost $990,000 of an overall project capital budget of $1.13 million. Faster boarding is anticipated to allow the agency to run slightly fewer buses, thereby netting Metro a savings of more than $200,000 per year. Board chair and L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti remarked that the program had a five-year return on investment.

If approved by the full board next week, Vermont’s Line 754 would have ADB implemented in June 2018. Wilshire’s Line 720 would follow by December 2018.