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’SetGo’ Playbook compiles best practices to support events including FIFA World Cup 2026™, Los Angeles 2028 Olympic, Paralympic Games
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) today 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.
Beyond its primary emphasis on major sporting events, the Playbook also draws on lessons from a wider 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 give us an opportunity 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’.”
A Resource for Mega-Events
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. Designed as a living document, it will evolve as agencies continue to test and refine approaches through future events. It also will serve as a guide for elected officials and host committees to help them understand the critical transportation practices that will need to be deployed to make their event world class.
Key Focus Areas
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.
“The SetGo Playbook reflects the power of partnership across our industry,” said Leanne Redden, Chair of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). “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.”
“We’re thankful that Metro is using this opportunity to ensure agencies across the country don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time these events come to town,” said MJ Maynard-Carey, CEO of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada. “Efforts like this uplift American transit by making sure we prioritize our workforce and our riders when the spotlight shines on our cities. And while Las Vegas is certainly no stranger to hosting world-class events, even we are excited about the best practices this Playbook puts forward.”
Development of the Playbook was supported by WSP, one of the world’s leading professional services firms, whose major event expertise 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.
A full copy of the Playbook is located HERE.
About Metro
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is building the most ambitious transportation infrastructure program in the United States and is working to greatly improve mobility through its Vision 2028 Plan. Metro is the lead transportation planning and funding agency for L.A. County and carries nearly 1 million boardings daily on a fleet of 2,200 low-emission buses and six rail lines.
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