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Nashville officials accelerate JourneyPass rollout as SNAP pause leaves riders short

Joint Committee of Transportation Infrastructure, Planning and Zoning, and Budget and Finance · November 4, 2025

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Summary

Metro staff and WeGo told council members JourneyPass is in soft launch with 2,500 cards and 10,000 rides to date; council members pressed for faster enrollment and temporary fare relief for SNAP recipients, while WeGo warned a universal fare suspension could cost about $8 million annually and strain operations.

The joint committee on transportation and budget pressed city staff and transit operators on how quickly the newly created JourneyPass program can be expanded to residents affected by a pause in SNAP benefits.

"We are officially launching JourneyPass on Wednesday," said Sabrina Sussman, lead of the Choose How You Move office, noting the program is in a soft launch and currently serves people receiving Metro social services. "We've already been underway and seeing JourneyPass holders actually be able to use the program on rides."

Sussman said more than 2,500 JourneyPass holders have taken over 10,000 rides during the soft launch. The program currently verifies eligibility through partner agencies — Metro Social Services, the Metro Action Commission and Metro Public Health — and will add more agencies and community events in the coming days.

Council members pressed for faster, lower-barrier enrollment. "Why can't we auto-enroll people through the partner agencies?" Councilmember Porterfield asked, arguing many SNAP recipients work during daytime events and need evening or on-site options.

Sussman and other staff said auto-enrollment carries privacy and operational challenges. "Being able to actually visibly see someone and say, 'oh, you already have a quick ticket,' or issue a new one — that sort of touch is what allows someone to walk away from the event with their JourneyPass," Sussman said, adding the team is sensitive to stigma concerns and the need to protect personally identifiable information.

WeGo's chief executive said the agency favors targeted, rapid distribution rather than a blanket fare suspension. "Going universally fare free, frankly, raises a whole lot of issues, apart from the revenue loss, which would be about $8,000,000 on an annual basis," Steve Bland said. He warned unrestricted free fares would increase ridership spikes, risk overcrowding and require additional security and operations capacity.

Councilmembers suggested short-term workarounds while the team expands outreach: weekend and evening registration shifts at WeGo Central, temporary day passes for SNAP recipients, or surge staffing for central registration sites. Choose How You Move staff said they will convene a meeting the next day and return to the council with a plan.

Sussman framed the immediate steps: "Starting on Thursday, we will have five Metro agencies for whom their clients will be able to get JourneyPasses," and the team will continue to grow agency partnerships through the rest of 2025, with broader income-verification options planned for 2026.

The committee did not vote on a fare suspension or other emergency relief; officials said fare policy changes would need WeGo board approval. The meeting adjourned with staff committed to provide a near-term plan for accelerating enrollment and potential temporary measures to help SNAP recipients get immediate access to transit.