Moving to put people first, LA Metro is introducing its new Ambassador Program. The "extra set of eyes and ears" is a 260-person plus team of friendly, uniformed professionals ready to help riders navigate the Metro system.
The pilot program establishes an on-the-ground presence throughout the system, with ambassadors available to answer questions, connect riders to resources, and report issues. While the ambassador program officially launched this week with a debut event at Union Station in downtown L.A., it has already been operating for several months on some lines – to positive reviews.
Recognizable by their bright green shirts, you'll encounter the ambassadors riding Metro buses and trains seven days a week, welcoming and supporting riders and providing information. Ambassadors have received training in trauma-informed response, disability awareness, mental health awareness, customer experience, station cleanliness and evaluation, conflict de-escalation, homeless engagement, and more.
As members of Metro's customer experience department, the ambassadors are another part of the agency's multi-layered effort to reimagine public safety, which includes security staff, law enforcement, and homeless outreach and crisis intervention teams. Based on employee and customer feedback, the ambassadors will go where they’re needed most – busier bus and rail lines and stations.
The ultimate goal is to help Metro's passengers feel welcome and safe and have a great ride. Learn more about the new program on Metro's website.
Photo Credit: LA Metro
