Sponsored message
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

Rolling Back: Metro Considering Temporary $5 Pricing for Day Passes

metro-subway-hipstamatic.jpg
Photo by TooMuchFire via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr

You value independent local news, so become a sustainer today to power our newsroom.

If the high price of filling up your tank is keeping you from going places in your car, Metro's CEO, Art Leahy, has a proposal for you. The transit agency is considering knocking a buck off the price of their Day Pass, bringing the price for a full day's worth of rides to $5. The decrease would go into effect July 1, and last six months, according to The Source.Cutting the price would cost Metro an estimated $6 million annually, says The Source, however the agency expects to make up for that via increased ridership.

Gas prices are already soaring towards $4 a gallon on average nationwide, though for many in California, the pain at the pump is already inching past the $4 mark. Predictions from around the country indicate experts believe those prices could soar to $4.50 or even $5 a gallon as early as Memorial Day this year. Metro is hoping L.A.'s drivers would opt to take advantage of a day of unlimited rides for about the same cost as a gallon of gas could be this summer.

The Source explains that lowering the fare to $5 "would not require public hearings but does need the approval of two-thirds of the Metro Board of Directors. The Board will likely consider the issue at their May meeting."

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.

Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.

If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.

Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today