El Segundo commission votes to sunset city beach shuttle after sharp ridership drop

The El Segundo Recreation and Parks Commission voted 5-0 to sunset the city’s beach shuttle program after staff presented data showing a large decline in riders and significant operating cost.

Recreation Supervisor Ryan Delgado told commissioners the shuttle logged 776 riders this past summer, down from multi‑thousand counts in earlier years (Delgado cited 4,700 in early 2015 and about 2,100 in 2023). Delgado said the program cost $83,220 to operate this year and that a recent resident survey showed many people prefer flexible options such as e‑bikes.

The recommendation from staff was to discontinue the standing shuttle service and reallocate funds while studying targeted, one‑off uses for special events. Commissioners asked questions about correlations with junior lifeguard schedules, the effect of charging for a recreation card in past years, and whether lower ridership might reflect better weather or increased e‑bike use.

Commissioner Dave Luebz highlighted the program cost relative to ridership, noting a per‑rider cost in the low‑hundreds when calculated two‑way, and urged the commission to consider alternatives such as targeted days (Friday–Sunday) or chartering rides for specific events. Commissioner Mark Cagnolo suggested exploring limited weekend service as a compromise before permanently ending the program.

A motion to “sunset the beach shuttle and consider one‑offs for specific events” was moved and seconded during the meeting; the commission approved it by voice vote 5–0. Commissioners and staff emphasized that the decision does not preclude restarting the program if demand returns or circumstances change, and that Prop A and C funds that had supported the shuttle would continue to be available to the city.

Delgado said staff will do follow‑up research and consider forming a small working group or transportation committee to examine targeted service days, event charters, or partnerships (including Lyft) as lower‑cost alternatives. He also noted that Swoop, the current contractor, provided consistent routing and drivers in recent years but that ridership trends — notably increased e‑bike use — have changed travel behavior.

Commissioners asked staff to bring back additional data on specific high‑ridership dates and to evaluate options for using the funds for major events like the World Cup or the 2028 Olympics.

The vote concludes the shuttle’s regular service schedule; staff retained direction to study limited future uses and report back to the commission.