A pilot program providing free bus and train rides for low-income riders and K-12 students in Los Angeles County recently got the green light to continue forward, but local transit leaders wonder what the move means for other operators in Southern California.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority unanimously voted last month to approve the development of the pilot program. Transit officials touted the elimination of fares as a way to help Los Angeles County emerge from the pandemic, put money back in the pockets of those who need it the most, and increase ridership.
Nearly three-quarters of Metro riders are low or extremely low-income, which is the largest percentage of low income riders in the country, Metro CEO Phil Washington said back in September 2020 when Metro leaders agreed to move forward with studying the fareless initiative.
How much does gas cost in your hamlet?
Here in the Los Angeles Basin the price of gas is now over $4 per gallon. One year ago, it was just $2.89. Could this be an example of what Fed Chair Jay Powell calls “temporary inflation?”
Maybe so. Certainly, supply will increase to meet demand. At the time of this writing, the latest Baker Hughes rig count shows 430 active drilling rigs. That’s 13 more rigs than the prior week. But 234 less than one year ago.
We have a hunch that Los Angeles gas prices in excess of $4 per gallon will be here until at least the fall – possibly longer. Especially now that California refineries have switched over to producing state mandated summer blend gasoline.
By City News Service
Mar 3, 2021
LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A series of virtual meetings on how the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority can eliminate fares on its buses and trains will begin today.
The authority has developed a pilot program to give free rides to low-income riders starting in January and to kindergarteners through 12th graders in August 2022.
The MTA s Fareless System Initiative study has scheduled five local service-council meetings in March to gather public feedback on that program.
The agency s service councils advise on planning and implementation of Metro services in five geographic regions, but the presentation will be the same at each meeting and members of the public can attend and ask questions regardless of where they live, officials said.
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