LOS Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, doing business as Metro, is a U.S. local government transit authority operating as a federal grant recipient, primarily under the Federal Transit Administration, with nearly $33.2 billion in obligated federal dollars supporting bus rapid transit, light rail construction and operations, rail preventive maintenance, zero-emission vehicle acquisition, and supporting services across Los Angeles County.

Metro is a county transit authority headquartered at 1 Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, California. The organization operates as a prime grant recipient on the vast majority of its federal footprint—328 of 349 awards (94%)—and does not hold federal contracts. Metro's federal activity concentrates almost entirely within the Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration, which accounts for 302 of 347 prime and sub awards. A secondary stream flows through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (34 awards across HQ and regional disaster assistance programs), with smaller allocations from the Department of Transportation's Immediate Office of the Secretary for intelligent transportation systems and smart mobility initiatives, and from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Metro's capability portfolio centers on fixed-route transit operations, capital infrastructure delivery, and fleet modernization. Representative work includes a $247.983 million Federal Transit Capital Investment Grant (CFDA 20.500) awarded August 27, 2026, to design and construct the 12.4-mile Vermont Avenue Bus Rapid Transit Project from Sunset Boulevard to 120th Street, serving over 36,000 daily riders and expected to complete June 30, 2029. A $3.573 billion Capital Investment Grant (CFDA 20.500) awarded September 6, 2024, will fund the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project—a 6.7-mile light rail system with 11 stations, 34 vehicles, and associated infrastructure, targeting completion December 31, 2033. Metro also received $429.073 million in State of Good Repair grants (CFDA 20.525) on August 10, 2026, for rail preventive maintenance including traction motors, auxiliary power unit inverters, lubricating boxes, fasteners, and light rail and heavy rail wayside maintenance through December 31, 2027. Additional significant work includes $354.299 million for one year of bus preventive maintenance (CFDA 20.507, July 31, 2026), $114.995 million for Metro D (Purple) Line Westside Extension operating assistance (CFDA 20.507, August 17, 2026), and $269.464 million for zero-emission bus acquisition, charging infrastructure design and construction, and workforce development (CFDA 20.526, July 29, 2024). Metro also administers Section 5310 grants as a designated recipient, distributing $13.138 million across 21 subrecipients (24 projects, 32 assistance listing tasks) for senior and disability-focused transportation services, including vehicle acquisition and mobility management.

The Federal Transit Administration dominates the grant portfolio—302 awards deliver formula grants, capital investment grants, and specialized programs including Federal Transit Formula Grants (CFDA 20.507), State of Good Repair (CFDA 20.525), Buses and Bus Facilities (CFDA 20.526), Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities (CFDA 20.513), and Capital Investment Grants (CFDA 20.500). FEMA contributed through the Rail and Transit Security Grant Program (CFDA 97.075), with a $10.913 million award (September 1, 2024) for 36 months of security enhancements and infrastructure protection including surveillance equipment, emergency response training, and cybersecurity improvements. The Immediate Office of the Secretary awarded $12.12 million under the SMART Grants Program (CFDA 20.941, August 1, 2025) to implement QR code digital ticketing for the 2028 Olympics, and $2 million (September 15, 2023) to create a digital curb lane asset inventory for downtown Los Angeles.

Recent activity shows 14 awards in 2022, declining to 8 in 2023, then rising to 27 in 2024, with 14 each in 2025 and 2026 year-to-date. Twenty-two awards carry ultimate completion dates within the next twenty-four months and represent recompete exposure. Metro performs the vast majority of activities directly; subrecipient work is limited to specialized roles such as Section 5310 administration support (21 sub-awards, 6% of footprint) and includes the City of Avalon (ferry terminal construction), the City of Glendale (vehicle replacement), the City of Inglewood (transit connector property acquisition), and over 60 Section 5310 agencies across Los Angeles County.