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.
The Metro GoPass program has been in effect since its 2021 approval for an initial two years, when it replaced an announced universal fareless transit initiative. The full program officially launched in late 2021. Last May, GoPass was extended an additional year - through June 2024.
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.
- The board approved the final environmental documents for the Southeast Gateway Line [staff report]. The initial 15-mile light rail line segment from South L.A. to the city of Artesia is now officially shovel-ready, but still needs significant funding.
- The board approved a lower 710 Freeway corridor plan [staff report], which came a long way since Metro canceled its $6+ billion 710 expansion mega-project, but still includes miles of expanded 710 Freeway auxiliary lanes in Long Beach, plus lots of "interchange improvements" and "connector improvements" which typically expand car capacity. Despite serious flaws, the plan includes some multimodal components that will improve transit, bike, complete streets, electrification of goods movement, and more.
- 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.
