GoKawiilAnalysis: LA Metro escalators run slower than in 139 cities worldwide
A data analysis by Basin Data comparing escalator speed regulations across 139 cities in 58 countries found LA Metro's specified escalator speed of 90 feet per minute falls below the legal maximum allowed in every city examined. Among 42 cities with confirmed operating speeds, LA Metro and New York run among the slowest at roughly 0.46 meters per second, while Hong Kong and Singapore run escalators at about 0.75 meters per second, roughly 64% faster.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The findings suggest American transit systems, not just LA Metro, may operate under a broader unofficial or regulatory norm of slower escalator speeds compared to systems in Asia and Europe, though the analysis does not identify a definitive cause. This could point to differences in safety standards, maintenance philosophies, or simply legacy engineering choices across countries, which riders experience directly as longer commute times exiting stations.
- LA Metro's design speed of 90 feet per minute is below the legal maximum in all 139 cities studied.
- Hong Kong's MTR escalators run about 64% faster than LA Metro's specified speed.
- Among 42 cities with known operating speeds, LA and New York rank among the slowest.
Source: basin.la, 2026-09-24
Published there as: “LA Metro has some of the slowest escalators on Earth”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.