Today, the Metro board approved extending the agency's popular GoPass program which makes free transit available to students in most K-12 schools and community colleges - throughout L.A. County. Find details at the Metro staff report.
Metro's student pass programs have long been championed by the transit advocacy group Move L.A., whose Executive Director Eli Lipmen terms GoPass the "largest fareless student transit pass program in the United States." Lipmen today credited the program with “creating the next generation of transit riders who will see the bus and rail system as their means of getting to school, work, extra-curriculars, appointments, culture and sporting events, and more.”
Students interested in obtaining their GoPass TAP card can find program details at this Metro website.
The board approved a related "bridge to farelessness" motion that included making the GoPass program permanent and reporting back on opportunities to fund and expand GoPass and LIFE (low income) programs.
Here are a few other very brief updates from today's Metro board meeting:
Much of today's discussion focused on Monday's stabbing death of Metro subway rider Mirna Soza. The board approved a motion (initiated by County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, final amended version not yet posted online) for several security/safety/policing report-backs. The board also approved accelerating installing plexiglass barriers [staff report] designed to protect bus operators.
Metro staff are recommending [staff report] delaying a 2030 deadline for bus electrification. The board approved a motion L.A. City Councilmember Katy Young Yaroslavsky to support bus electrification.
Metro approved two important wonky items related to VMT - Vehicle Miles Traveled. Metro approved a VMT reduction target [staff report] and will implement a VMT mitigation bank pilot [staff report].
Metro ridership keeps steadily increasing. March 2024 nearly set a COVID-era high.