The Southern California Association of Governments released its latest “Transportation Trends Report,” offering a comprehensive assessment of mobility patterns and transit ridership across the six-county SCAG region, the association announced in a news release.
The report evaluates transportation trends by mode and month, providing a holistic view of regional mobility across the entire transportation network, including automobile, bus, and rail.
Using fiscal year 2018-19 data as the pre-pandemic baseline, the report measures the region’s travel volumes in the context of recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. As of December 2025, both transit ridership and automobile travel continue to rebound, though rates vary by mode, the release said.
The release said the report’s key findings include:
• Bus Ridership Leads Recovery: Bus systems have shown the strongest recovery, reaching 88% of pre-pandemic ridership levels as of December 2025. Growth has stabilized, with an average increase of 0.1% over the previous 12 months.
• Rail Ridership Continues Gradual Growth: Light and heavy rail systems have recovered to 64% of pre-pandemic levels, with modest but steady growth averaging 0.3% over the past year.
• Commuter Rail Lags Behind: Commuter rail remains the slowest to recover, reaching 58% of pre-pandemic ridership and experiencing a slight average monthly decline of 0.5% over the past 12 months.
• Roadway Travel Nears Pre-Pandemic Levels: Vehicle miles traveled has nearly returned to normal, reaching 98% of pre-pandemic levels. However, vehicle hours traveled remain at 74%, reflecting ongoing shifts in travel behavior. Truck VMT remains slightly lower at 95%.
• Remote Work Reshaping Travel Demand: Remote work continues to significantly influence travel patterns. Over the past year, approximately 33% of workdays were performed from home, reducing peak-hour congestion and demand across all modes.
“This report highlights lasting changes that we’ve seen in how people travel in Southern California,” Kome Ajise, executive director of SCAG, said in the release. “While overall mobility continues to recover, evolving work patterns and traveler preferences are reshaping the region’s transportation landscape.”
Regional highlights reported in the study include:
• Los Angeles County: Dominates the region’s transit ecosystem, with 82.9% of all bus trips in the SCAG region occurring in its most populous county.
• Orange County: Second largest contributor to ridership, accounting for 11.2% of regional bus trips. Significant presence in commuter rail (Metrolink’s Orange County Line is a top ridership contributor).
• Riverside and San Bernardino Counties: As a fast-growing, car-centric region, this area contributes the least to bus ridership and is more reliant on commuter rail. However, Metrolink recovery remains slow.
• Ventura County: Smaller, more stable ridership patterns. Plays a supporting role in regional commuting (especially via Metrolink Ventura County Line).
The “Transportation Trends Report” is designed to inform policymakers, transportation agencies, and stakeholders as they plan for a more flexible, efficient, and resilient transportation future. The data sources and analyses in this report show how travel patterns have evolved in the post‑pandemic era, highlighting uneven recovery across counties and travel modes, and reveal emerging trends such as reduced congestion and sustained levels of telework, the release said.
For more information and to view the full report, visit www.scag.ca.gov/news.
The post SCAG issues report on regional transportation trends appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
This website uses cookies.