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Metro Will Let School Kids Ride Free For Field Trips
Photo by Greg Lilly Photos via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
In a move that will ideally save schools and parents money, the Metro Board voted today to approve a measure that will allow "students from public and private schools in Los Angeles County to ride Metro for free to and from school-sanctioned field trips and activities during non rush-hour periods," says Metro in an emailed release.
Metro hopes that by granting students rides on buses, subways, and light rail that schools will be able to continue to enrich their curricula by holding field trips to museums, programs, and events off school property, without having to shoulder the burden of paying for chartered transit.
The motion was introduced my Mayor and Metro Board member Antonio Villaraigosa, who calls the policy a win-win, citing Metro's low daytime usage. Metro believes hosting the children will not impact their operational costs. They are working to determine guidelines for schools' participation in the program.
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