More than 92 Million Free Rides Provided by Programs to Low-Income, Student, Fire-Impacted Angelenos Since 2021
LOS ANGELES, CA – The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) announced that combined registrations for its LIFE and GoPass programs, which provide free rides and discounted passes to low income, student and fire-impacted Angelenos, has exceeded 1,000,000 since 2021, marking a major milestone in the transit agency’s efforts to make transit more equitable and accessible.
“Many Angelenos depend on transit to meet their transportation needs, and the LIFE and GoPass programs ensure access for those who need it most,” said Fernando Dutra, Metro Board Chair and City of Whittier Council Member. “Transportation costs can eat up a significant portion of a household budget, second only to housing, and programs like these help riders get to where they need to go while saving money that can instead go toward groceries, medical care, education expenses and other basic necessities.”
In total, these programs have provided low-income residents, fire-impacted Angelenos and students from participating school districts with more than 92 million free rides and 14 million rides on discounted passes.
“Growing these programs have been a major focus for our team over the last few years, so it’s very satisfying to see how far we’ve come in a relatively short period of time,” said Stephanie Wiggins, Metro CEO. “Transportation is the number two household expense, behind housing, so these free rides through GoPass and LIFE are changing lives in a really meaningful way. Thank you to all our LIFE and GoPass riders for choosing Metro to get around the region, and we’ll continue to identify ways to make these programs easier and more accessible to everyone who depends on us.”
Metro LIFE Program
Since the introduction of the improved LIFE program in 2021, which provides free rides and discounted passes to low income and fire-impacted Angelenos, Metro has established critical community partnerships to drive registrations, most notably its partnership with the Department of Public Social Services in 2023. Now with more than 475,000 registrations resulting in 25 million free rides and 14 million rides with discounted passes, the LIFE program continues to expand to meet the needs of Angelenos. When fires broke out in Los Angeles County in January 2025, Metro responded by expanding LIFE eligibility to victims of the wildfires to help them access essential resources as they recover and rebuild. To date, more than 6,300 Angelenos impacted by the wildfires have registered for LIFE program. When SNAP benefits were recently paused, LIFE enrollment increased by 25 percent.
Those new to the program will receive a free 90-day unlimited rides pass. After the first 90 days, riders can either elect to load 20 free rides to their TAP card monthly, opt in to receive 20 free rides automatically each month, or purchase a discounted pass from any of the participating transit agencies.
The 16 participating transit agencies include: Antelope Valley Transit Authority, Burbank Bus, Culver City Bus, Foothill Transit, Glendale Beeline, Glendora Transit, GTrans, LADOT DASH, Lawndale Beat, Long Beach Transit, Montebello Bus, Norwalk Transit, Pasadena Transit, Santa Clarita Transit, Santa Monica Big Blue Bus and Torrance Transit.
Participants who choose the 20 free rides option will still benefit from fare capping. After the 20 free rides have been used, participants can pay for each ride by adding stored value to their TAP card. All customers ride for free after three rides in one day and 11 rides in a week.
Metro GoPass Program
The Metro GoPass program, which provides free rides to students from participating school districts, has grown steadily since it began as a pilot in Fall of 2021. It became a permanent program in April 2024 and exceeded half-a-million registered students and 60 million rides during the 2024-2025 school year. The program continues to grow, with 11 new schools and school districts signing on for the 2025-2026 school year so far. They include the Assurance Learning Academies in Acton and Lancaster, Cedar Academy, Fenton Primary School, Inglewood Unified, Peak Prep, Qualia School, Scholarship Prep, SIATech Academy South, Sequoyah School and Vista Horizon Global Academy.
In a March 2024 GoPass student survey, 53 percent reported riding Metro daily and 60 percent increased transit use after receiving their GoPass. Seventy-eight percent reported improved school attendance and 94 percent reported better overall well-being. Eighty-seven percent of GoPass students surveyed were low-income.
Metro’s GoPass is available to all students whose school district has registered with the program, which includes over 1,600 K-12 schools and community colleges in 145 participating school districts, including Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles Community College District, Long Beach Unified School District, Long Beach Community College District and more. Participants can take unlimited free rides on Metro bus and rail and 19 other transit systems.
Participating transit agencies include: Antelope Valley Transit Authority, Beach Cities Transit, Burbank Bus, City of Commerce Transit, Culver City Bus, Foothill Transit, Glendale Beeline, Glendora Transit, GTrans, LADOT DASH, LA County Shuttles, Lawndale Beat, Long Beach Transit, Lynwood Trolley, Montebello Bus, Norwalk Transit, Pasadena Transit, Santa Monica Big Blue Bus and Torrance Transit.
Participating schools distribute TAP cards and activation codes so students can ride transit to school, extracurricular activities or work. Students can activate their cards on the online GoPass portal at taptogo.net/gopass or by calling 866.TAPTOGO. They also have the option of using a virtual TAP card on the TAP LA App.
For more information about the Metro LIFE program, including eligibility and how to enroll, visit https://www.metro.net/riding/fares/life/. For more information on the Metro GoPass program visit: Metro.net/GoPass.
About Metro
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is building the most ambitious transportation infrastructure program in the United States and is working to greatly improve mobility through its Vision 2028 Plan. Metro is the lead transportation planning and funding agency for L.A. County and carries nearly 1 million boardings daily on a fleet of 2,200 low-emission buses and six rail lines. A 2024 survey of more than 20,000 Metro riders showed that customer satisfaction has risen to 87%.
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