The Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association (LAAPOA) thanks Los Angeles City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, with the backing of Councilmember Traci Park, for bringing renewed attention and accountability to the years-long delays surrounding LAX’s Automated People Mover. Rodriguez has called for answers about the project’s repeated delays and escalating costs, as well as greater accountability for a project that was supposed to be moving passengers years ago.

Construction on the People Mover began in 2019 under LAWA CEO Deborah Flint and continued under her successor, Justin Erbacci. By April 2022, the entire 2.25-mile elevated guideway was complete. By March 2024, as new LAWA CEO John Ackerman settled into his new role, the project was 96% complete. Since Ackerman took oversight, the People Mover has languished, missing the major deadline tied to this year’s World Cup. The remaining 4% has yet to be completed during Ackerman’s two and a half years in the role, even though his predecessors completed 96% of the project in approximately four years.

“LAAPOA welcomes Councilmember Rodriguez’s scrutiny of the People Mover and believes the same accountability should extend throughout LAWA. While a nearly completed People Mover has stagnated, Ackerman’s pet projects, such as expanding LAWA’s executive ranks and his own salary, have ballooned, while LAXPD staffing has fallen to levels not seen in approximately 20 years. And despite Ackerman’s claims that his new leadership and vision are about putting people first and transforming the airport experience, our officers have continued to deal with payroll and contractual problems that have only increased after he arrived,” LAAPOA President Marshall McClain says. “We applaud oversight and questions, but most importantly, we seek answers for these inexcusable delays and failures.”