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When the Metro board met last week, they approved extending the agency's free student pass program for an additional year. The GoPass program was already approved through this June, and will now extend through the end of June 2024.
Metro, in a press statement, noted that the GoPass pilot program improves equity, increases transit ridership, positively impacts public health, and benefits the environment with reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved air quality.
Last week, Metro staff presented some recent statistics on the student pass program. Per Metro, 237,067 students (190,069 K-12 students and 46,998 Community College students) have registered as GoPass participants; that total represents nearly 20 percent of the more than two million students in L.A. County. Metro notes that 86 percent of students registered (203,878) are active riders; those active participants have averaged 81.5 boardings each.
Student GoPass boardings currently comprise 12 percent of Metro non-cash boardings. (According to another presentation last week, about 43 percent of Metro boardings are cash.)
Metro estimates that families of K-12 students who participate in the GoPass Program typically see an annual savings of $288 per student compared to the previous Metro reduced student fare program.
For the initial two-year program, Metro made up lost fare revenue using federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding alongside some cost-sharing from participating schools and school districts. For the one-year program extension, Metro anticipates lost fare revenue would have totaled $20 million, which will be covered as part of Metro's operating budget. Metro also continues to pursue other outside funding to continue and possibly expand FSI.
Transit advocates, including the Alliance for Community Transit, Strategic Actions for a Just Economy, and others continue to urge Metro to provide universal fareless transit, noting that Metro spends a great deal of fare revenue to collect, process, and enforce fares. Advocates assert, including during public comment on last week's FSI approval, that instead of making riders go through enrollment processes for GoPass, or Metro's senior and low-income (LIFE - Low Income Fare is Easy) discount fare programs, Metro could advance equity and increase ridership by making buses and trains free to ride.
Metro staff are recommending the board approve funds to support two 91 Freeway expansion projects located in pollution-burdened communities in Southeast L.A. County - in the cities of Long Beach, Artesia, and Cerritos
Move Your Way open streets in San Fernando, South Bay C Line, LADOT finalizes recommendations for unarmed traffic response, a Leimert Park book launch, Arroyo Seco, Ballona Creek, Metro K Line extension, and more.