Drawing on lessons from mega sporting events, political conventions, mega concerts, and other large-scale events from around the world, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) announced the release of the "Special Event Transportation — Guidance and Opportunities (SetGo) Playbook," a comprehensive resource of best practices for transit agencies of all sizes to deliver transportation for major sports, entertainment, and cultural events.

The Playbook was developed through Metro’s SetGo Program, a national workshop series conducted with the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). It draws on lessons from international and domestic events, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Atlanta 1996, Salt Lake 2002, London 2012), the Las Vegas Formula One Grand Prix, major concert tours, conventions, and more.

The Playbook

Beyond its primary emphasis on major sporting events, the Playbook also draws on lessons from a broader spectrum of special events, recognizing that many of the same principles of planning, delivery, and after-action evaluation apply across these event types and sizes.

“These major events allow us to showcase what our agencies can do when tested to our limits,” said Metro CEO and APTA Mega Events Task Force Co-Chair Stephanie Wiggins. “The SetGo Playbook isn’t just about the 2028 Games or the 2026 World Cup, it’s about ensuring every event we serve, whether global, regional or local, strengthens our ability to deliver universal mobility and excellent service for attendees and everyday riders by advancing the latest approaches in wayfinding, safety and security, crowd management, and even ‘surprise and delight’.”

The Playbook identifies transit service strategies for upcoming international-scale events in the U.S., including the FIFA World Cup 2026, the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the Utah 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. 

Key Focus Areas

Designed as a living document, it will evolve as agencies continue to test and refine approaches through future events. It will also serve as a guide for elected officials and host committees to help them understand the critical transportation practices that need to be deployed to make their event world-class.

The Playbook organizes best practices across five subject areas:

• Purpose & Need: Mission alignment, advocacy, and coordination inside and outside the agency.

• Service Plan: Demand forecasting, supplemental service, first/last mile strategies, and speed and reliability.

• Safety & Emergency Management: Crowd management, security, and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) planning.

• Customer Experience: Accessibility, signage and wayfinding, integrated ticketing, ambassadors, and “surprise and delight” activations.

• Agency-Wide Success Strategies: Budgeting, workforce readiness, training, technology, contingency planning, and after-action processes

For each of these focus areas, the Playbook provides guiding questions that agencies can use to evaluate readiness during planning, adjust strategies in real-time during delivery, and capture lessons learned in after-action reviews.

This approach not only helps agencies implement best practices and align service with mission and long-term goals, but also promotes consistency across the country, ensuring riders experience the same reliable, high-quality service no matter where they travel, according to LA Metro officials.

“The SetGo Playbook reflects the power of partnership across our industry,” said APTA Chair Leanne Redden. “By pooling knowledge from agencies nationwide, we now have a shared framework that ensures we’re not starting from scratch as the U.S. prepares for a decade of global events, freeing agencies to focus on delivering safe, reliable, and unforgettable customer experiences.”

The development of the Playbook was supported by WSP, one of the world’s leading professional services firms, whose expertise in major events helped capture lessons from global case studies and ensure the Playbook reflects both international best practices and the unique needs of U.S. transit agencies.