Metro Micro Costing More? The Transit Agency Wants To Hear Your Thoughts

Metro is considering raising the fare for Metro Micro, the agency’s on-demand rideshare service, in hopes of making the program more sustainable long-term.

The program currently covers 27 cities and 12 unincorporated areas in L.A. County. However, it’s very expensive for the agency — each $1 dollar ride for the passenger costs Metro $42 to operate.

That cheap fare was designed to be a temporary introductory deal for the first six months of Metro Micro, but the Metro Board ended up extending it throughout the COVID pandemic and beyond.

Now, the agency is once again considering raising the fare to $2.50, which has already been previously approved by the Metro Board.

Proposed pricing

If approved again by the Metro Board, the Micro fare would rise to $2.50.

However, GoPass and reduced fare card holders for students, seniors, or disabled residents would be able to keep riding Metro Micro for $1. That introductory fare would become the permanent rate for these groups.

Additionally, people participating in the Low Income Fare is Easy (LIFE) program would be able to use their 20 free rides on Metro Micro.

If you need to go from a Metro Micro ride to a Metro bus or rail, transfers will be free. If you need to go from a Metro bus or rail to Metro Micro, those transfers will be available for a 75 cent upcharge.

If you have an EZ transit base pass, which is the cheapest option, you would be able to transfer to Metro Micro for a 75 cent upcharge. If you have an EZ transit pass Zone 1 and higher, you’ll be able to ride Metro Micro for no additional charge.

If you need to transfer from a partner agency, you would have to pay $1.25 for the Metro Micro ride. That includes a 75 cent upcharge plus the 50 cent transfer fee.

All transfers and discounts must be done through a TAP card. If you pay for a Metro Micro ride with a credit or debit card in the app, you’ll be charged the full $2.50 fare without any transfers.

What’s next

Metro wants to hear what you think about the proposed price change for its Micro program. The agency is hosting public meetings in several different areas over the next few weeks.

• San Fernando Valley
  
  • Wednesday, Jan. 3 at 6:30 p.m.

• San Gabriel Valley 
  
  • Monday, Jan. 8 at 5 p.m.

• Westside / Central Los Angeles
  
  • Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 6 p.m.

• Gateway Cities
  
  • Thursday, Jan. 11 at 5 p.m.

• South Bay Cities
  
  • Friday, Jan. 12 at 9:30 a.m.

If you’re not able to attend a meeting in person or via Zoom, you can send your comment to Metro via email at servicecouncils@metro.net by Jan. 12.

Metro will then collect all of the public comments and present them with the final recommended Micro fare structure at the Metro Board’s Operations Committee meeting on Jan. 18.

The agency will then present those to the full Metro Board at their Jan. 25 meeting for final approval.

About Metro Micro

When it first launched in December 2020, Metro Micro was supposed to be a three-year pilot program. However, Metro’s board of directors voted to extend its lifespan through September 2024 a few months ago.

The smaller navy blue vans can fit up to nine passengers and have become the first on-demand publicly operated rideshare in the country to reach 1 million boardings, according to Metro.

Instead of operating on a fixed schedule like the buses and trains, Metro Micro matches passengers with flexible pick-up locations and times in eight service zones:

• Watts / Compton
• LAX / Inglewood
• North Hollywood / Burbank
• El Monte
• Highland Park / Eagle Rock / Glendale
• Altadena / Pasadena / Sierra Madre
• Northwest San Fernando Valley
• UCLA / Westwood / VA Medical Center

Ultimately, Metro’s goal with Micro is to improve first / last mile connections on existing routes, provide better service to routes that are performing poorly, and address inequities for similar ride-hailing services in low-income areas.