Residents, including more than 80% of riders surveyed by Metro, back the idea. Internal studies identified multiple benefits to eliminating fares. The city ran a successful fareless bus program for almost two years of the pandemic. In L.A., evidence has mounted in favor of fareless transit. For the 40% who earn less than $15,000, annual fares can constitute about a month of their earnings. As outlined in a recent report from Strategic Actions for a Just Economy, co-published with us at the Alliance for Community Transit-Los Angeles, about 63% of Metro riders earn less than $25,000 annually. At the Metro board meeting on Thursday, it’s time to take seriously the need for permanent fareless transit.įor many Metro riders, fares are a significant portion of their household expenditures. In fact, everyone in Los Angeles already pays: Metro, Los Angeles County’s largest public transit agency, collects most of its approximately $9-billion annual budget through sales taxes and state and federal funding programs.īut by collecting fares on top of this public funding, Metro penalizes those who use the system - people who need it the most and earn the least - without yielding much for its riders. As the name implies, public transit is a public good for which everyone should split the bill, no matter how often they use it.
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