LA Metro details GoPass, LIFE and college passes as part of regional access push
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Summary
LA Metro staff briefed the task force on programs that expand fare access — GoPass (permanent free student pass), LIFE (low-income subsidies) and UPass/employer passes — and described outreach, enrollment numbers, and efforts to coordinate with school districts and partner agencies.
LA Metro used its slot on the Transit Transformation Task Force agenda to outline a suite of fare-access programs the agency says are intended to reduce barriers to transit for students and low-income riders.
Amanda Pangalosa, interim director of Metro’s GoPass program, said Metro’s board made the student unlimited-pass program permanent in April; GoPass provides participating K–12 and community college students free, unlimited rides on Metro and 17 partner agencies. Pangalosa said the program relies on cost-sharing with school districts and is intended to introduce young people to transit as a long-term travel choice.
Michael Cortez described Metro’s LIFE program as the agency’s largest subsidy effort: eligible participants receive a 90-day pass upfront and then a package of monthly regional rides or discounts; Metro reported about 366,000 enrollments to date and roughly 11,000 new enrollments each month. Cortez said LIFE also includes targeted assistance (taxi coupons, vouchers up to $100) for people experiencing homelessness, post‑release individuals, domestic violence survivors and others.
Jocelyn Feliciano summarized employer-pass options, UPass offerings for colleges and campuses, and youth‑in‑transition passes for foster youth (ages 18–24). She said Metro has worked to simplify distribution by making TAP cards available on campus and by removing unit‑enrollment barriers for some programs.
Public commenters and members asked that the task force consider statewide fare capping and clearer, interoperable payment systems; they cited examples in other regions (Clipper, Pronto) and urged improved TAP interoperability with Metrolink and partner counties.
What happens next: Metro staff will continue outreach and onboarding with districts and partner agencies; task force members urged that fare-access programs be part of the task force’s broader policy recommendations and research plan.
Quotes: “We want to create a generation of lifelong transit riders,” Amanda Pangalosa said.
Enrollment and scale details reported at the meeting: LIFE enrollments ~366,000; GoPass moved from pilot to permanent via board action in April.
