Metrolink revises passenger compensation criteria

The Southern California Regional Rail Authority recently approved a revision to Metrolink’s Quality Service Pledge Program, which establishes criteria under which passengers are compensated for chronic commuter-train delays.

Implemented in 2001, the program provides monthly pass holders a 25 percent discount on their next pass purchase if a line’s on-time performance drops 15 percent or more compared with the previous six months’ average on-time performance. Metrolink is changing the compensation policy to "make it more responsive to actual deficiencies in the on-time performance," according to a prepared statement.

Now, Metrolink will sell a line-restricted monthly pass at a 25 percent discount if a line’s average on-time performance falls below 80 percent in a given month.

However, if 15 percent of a line’s trains are 15 or more minutes late during two consecutive months, pass holders still will receive a 50 percent discount on the subsequent month’s pass.