The Los Angeles Community College District received a $1 million grant that will allow its students to ride Metro buses and trains for free.
Metro officials said the funds were secured by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) through the Congressional Directed Funding process to extend Metro’s GoPass Program through the 2022-23 academic year for the 21 community colleges in the county.
The program allows the district’s 500,000 students to apply for free transit passes.
“Lack of transportation is one of the leading barriers for students seeking to complete their education, and that’s particularly true in large metropolitan areas like Los Angeles,’’ Feinstein said.
Prior to the pandemic, a quarter of students attending community college in Los Angeles used public transit to get to class, according to Metro. Half of students in the LACCD are living below the poverty line, and 68% are low-income.
“The costs of transportation should never stand between our students and opportunity’’ Mayor Eric Garcetti said.
