Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) CEO Phillip A. Washington has gathered an in-house taskforce to research the possibility of launching a fareless transportation system.
“We are a large system and our fares are the lowest in this country for a system of our size,” Washington said in a recent virtual press briefing. “Our base fare of $1.75 that we have now is very low. And our fare recovery rate is a low percentage when compared to our operating costs.”
Nevertheless, the taskforce is charged with determining how Metro could possibly offer Angelenos a free transportation system without asking for increased county taxes or cutting company jobs.
“If you have a family of four, and two teenage kids are going to school, they pay $100 a piece for a transit pass,” Washington said. “If you have a working parent, they pay another $100, then that’s $300 per family. If another parent also pays for a pass, that’s $400. That 400 bucks could be the difference between that family being homeless or that family having a place to live.”
“That 400 could come back to us, because its disposable income,” Washington continued. “It could come back as sales tax. These are some of the things the taskforce will look at.”
The FSI (Fareless System Initiative) Exploratory Taskforce met for the first time on Sept. 1 and consists of 18 MTA employees.
“These people are solid professionals within this organization and bring experience and knowledge to the table,” Washington said, stressing the group will research fareless transit systems that are currently in place in various cities throughout the world. They are also charged with finding grants and other resources to pay for the effort.
The group will bring their recommendations and final report to the transit board before the end of the year.
“This is an effort we will expedite,” Washington said. “Because the need is so great because of COVID-19. People need a leg up in the economic recovery. Mobility is a high priority for struggling families all over this region. We’re moving with all haste. We believe this is a righteous effort.”
