LA community college students can now ride Metro for free
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 30: A portion of the enrolled student body returns to in-class instruction for the reopening on Monday August 30th of Los Angeles City College (LACC) in the LACCD, the nation's largest community college district. School will
LOS ANGELES - If you're a community college student in Los Angeles County, you can now ride the Metro to school for free thanks to a $1 million grant to the Los Angeles Community College District.
It's all part of Metro's GoPass Program, which provides free transit passes to students at participating K-14 schools. The grant allows for the extension of the program through the 2022-23 academic year for all 21 community colleges in Los Angeles County.
The federal funding makes it possible for more students to take free rides on all Metro buses and trains and thirteen additional transit agencies completely free of charges.
According to a statement released by Metro officials, LACCD students were paying $160 or more per semester for Metro-U passes, which they called an "unaffordable option to many community college students."
"Lack of transportation is one of the leading barriers for students seeking to complete their education, and that’s particularly true in large metropolitan areas like Los Angeles," said Senator Dianne Feinstein. "That’s why this program, which will enable up to 500,000 community college students across L.A. County to apply for the GoPass Program, is so important. I was pleased to support this funding and will continue advocating for funding that will allow students throughout California to advance their education."
Approximately one-quarter of students at LACCD reported regularly using public transit to attend class before COVID-19, with their top concern being price, Metro officials said.
"We are pleased to have this program extended for another year," said LACCD Chancellor Francisco C. Rodriguez, Ph.D. "Everything we do at LACCD is through an equity-first lens, and fareless transit directly enables more students to access higher education. As we return to more in-person classes and services on campus, this program will be a true lifeline for accelerating student success."
Metro’s GoPass for K-14 students is increasingly popular since its official launch in 2021. Metro has already added 20 new school districts for Year 2 and is in the process of adding 10 more. Metro seeks to double participation in the program over the next year to help more students. Toward that goal, earlier this month Metro partnered with Glendale Community College to make the program available to its 15,000 community college students.
For more information about the program, tap or click here.