Metro is offering more free prepaid transportation cards. Here’s how you can apply

From now through the end of August, low-income L.A. County residents can apply for prepaid debit cards to cover transportation costs. The cards will provide up to $1,800 per person as part of a yearlong pilot run by Metro and the L.A. Department of Transportation (LADOT).

How it works

If selected for the pilot, you’ll be able to use the funds on shared transportation services, including all Metro services, plus private on-demand services like Greyhound, Amtrak, taxis and rideshares, and purchases at local bike shops.

“It's a lot like an EBT card or a food stamp card for transportation,” Avital Shavit, senior director of Metro’s Office of Innovation, told LAist. She added that one card can be used by a whole household, adding flexibility for families.

Who’s eligible

You must be at least 18 years old, a resident of L.A. County and have not participated in an earlier version of the pilot program.

Your household also must earn below the following levels of income:

• 1 person: $44,150 or less per year
• 2 people: $50,450 or less per year
• 3 people: $56,750 or less per year
• 4 people: $63,050 or less per year
• 5 people: $68,100 or less per year
• 6 people: $73,150 or less per year

The income level requirements are the same as Metro’s Low Income Fare is Easy (LIFE) program, a permanent program which offers fare caps and limited free rides to low-income riders.

How to apply

If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can apply for the program, called Mobility Wallet, at metro.net/mobilitywallet1. The deadline to apply is Aug. 31, 2024.

The program aims to enroll 2,000 residents in this phase of the pilot and get them started with their cards in September. If you’re not chosen, you’ll be added to a waitlist.

The backstory

In 2022, LADOT launched a program to improve equal access to transportation across L.A. As part of that initiative, the agency partnered with Metro to test the prepaid transportation card program.

The first phase of the program, which just wrapped up testing, served about 1,000 low-income residents of South L.A. These residents received $150 per month on their prepaid cards from May 2023 to April 2024. Participants of the first phase have until August 1 to spend down any remaining money on your card.

Metro reported positive feedback from the first phrase, noting that bus and rail trips were the most popular types of trips for participants, with ride hailing and taxi services coming in second.

Why it matters

Madeline Brozen, deputy director of the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, is the principal investigator for UCLA’s team that is analyzing results from the pilot program for Metro. In an interview with LAist, she said researchers have found that the program significantly reduced stress for participants.

For example, she said when buses run late or don’t show up, participants said it was a relief to have alternatives.

She said the flexibility of the program also helped. Some people who participated had never been able to use Lyft — citing the high cost of using the service — before participating in the study.

“Giving people access to a range of options seems to be really beneficial,” she said.

And, Brozen noted, the card opened up possibilities for people who may have limited their activities before due to lack of transportation access, missing out on things like visiting friends and family or going on trips.

She recounted that one participant was experiencing mobility challenges after his car broke down, but he was able to use his prepaid card to take his child to Disneyland.

“That’s gonna be a lifelong memory for this kid that was only possible because this person had financial support for transportation,” she said.

More details

The scope of the program is now expanding into a second phase that includes all of L.A. County, instead of just South L.A.

Because some of the grant money funding the pilot is still intended for participants from South L.A., about half of the second phase spots will go to them, while the rest of the spots will be open to the whole county, according to Hector Gutierrez, senior manager in Metro’s Office of Innovation.

Participants in this round will get expanded payment options such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, and they’ll have funds deposited to their cards in two $900 payments six months apart, instead of the smaller monthly payments made in the first phase.

A third phase of testing, in collaboration with CalTrans, is already in the works for next year, according to Shavit, with Metro’s Office of Innovation.

Where to find other help with transportation costs

Even if you aren’t selected for the pilot, Metro has a number of permanent programs to help riders with transportation costs.

Here’s a list of low-cost and free programs for Metro riders.

• K-12 and community college students can get unlimited free rides through the GoPass program. Passes are distributed by participating schools; you can search here to see if your school has GoPass.
• Older adults (ages 62 and up) and disabled riders can apply for a reduced fare TAP card. With the card, you pay discounted Metro fares and max out at $2.50 per day and $5 per week — all rides are free after you hit that cap.
• Low-income L.A. County residents can get 20 free rides per month through the LIFE program. Even if you ride more than 20 times, Metro still caps the amount you can pay. Riders must meet their income requirements to be eligible.

LAist correspondent Josie Huang contributed to this story.