Metro Is Giving Thousands Of People $1,800 To Spend On Transportation

LOS ANGELES, CA — Metro is accepting applications for a program that will give 2,000 Angelenos $1,800 to spend on a variety of transportation costs.

Applications are now open for the program, the second phase of the Mobility Wallet pilot. Applicants, who must meet certain income requirements, have until the end of August to apply.

The first phase of the program, launched in May 2023, allowed participants to use prepaid debit cards to pay for Metro's buses, trains, bike shares and Metro Micro vans; Metrolink and Amtrak tickets; and private services like Greyhound, Flix Bus, Uber and Lyft.

In the second phase, participants will receive a $900 prepaid debit card in the fall and a $900 refill six months later. Of the 2,000 chosen, half will be from South Los Angeles and the remainder from other areas of LA County, according to Metro.

Organizers will attempt to identify a representative sample and hone in on differences between users in transit-rich communities versus transit deserts, Metro said.

To quality, participants must be at least 18, live in LA County and cannot have participated in Phase 1 of the program. The program's household annual income requirements are as follows:

• One-person household: $44,100 or less
• Two-person household: $50,400 or less
• Three-person household: $56,700 or less
• Four-person household: $63,000 or less
• Five-person household: $68,100 or less
• Six-person household: $73,100 or less

The first phase of the program provided $1,000 South LA residents with $150 per month for 12 months beginning in May 2023.

That region is identified as a federal transit empowerment zone — a place that needs additional transportation. In addition, Metro officials say the area includes a high percentage of lower-income people who are also dependent on transit. The program is meant to improve access for that population.

The majority of trips paid for by participants, 70,800, were via public transit. The second most popular option was ride hail/taxi/access services, with 60,700 trips. Participants also took 2,200 trips via shared scooters and bikes and made 169 bike shop purchases.

Metro is ironing out issues that emerged in the first phase, including issues with ride-hailing services' pre-authorization holds, clarifying eligible merchants and issues with locked prepaid debit cards.

The change from monthly to twice-yearly fund distribution is meant to address some of those issues, Metro said.

Additionally, the second phase will include Apple/Google Pay functionality, text message alerts and email reminders to encourage participants to check their balances and prevent account locks.

The pilot program is also aimed at helping the agency test an open loop system for fare collection, meaning riders would be able to use a debit or credit card to tap on a bus or train. Similar systems have been in use in New York and San Francisco.

Metro partnered with the city of Los Angeles' Department of Transportation for the program. In the first phase, Mobility Wallet received funding from $2 million from a larger $13.8 million State Trade and Expansion Grant and another $2 million from L.A. City.

In this second phase, Metro secured a $4 million grant from the Southern California Association of Governments.

City News Service contributed to this report.