Meeting_Body
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
JANUARY 25, 2018
Preamble
REVISED Motion by:
HAHN, GARCETTI, DUPONT-WALKER AND KREKORIAN
LIFE Program
In 2016, residents of Los Angeles County voted overwhelmingly in favor of Measure M with the goal of building a world-class public transportation system. One of the primary goals of Measure M, as declared in the preamble, is to "make public transportation more accessible, convenient, and affordable for seniors, students, and the disabled and provide better mobility options for our aging population."
A 2015 Harvard Study titled "The Impacts of Neighborhoods on Intergenerational Mobility" identified commuting time as "the single strongest factor in the odds of escaping poverty." In short, access to convenient, reliable, and affordable forms of transportation is key to helping individuals and families achieve upward mobility and escape from poverty. Providing subsidized TAP Cards to vulnerable populations is one critical way to achieve this goal.
In 2016, Metro created the "U-Pass" program which allowed students of California State University, Northridge, Pasadena City College, Rio Hondo College, Los Angeles Trade Technical College, American Career College, and West Coast University to sign up for discounted Metro passes directly from their college or university rather than apply for the discounted TAP Card through the mail, which encourages direct contact with our riders and to provide an opportunity to increase ridership.
In addition to increasing outreach by partnering with community-based organizations, Metro launched a new rider relief program branded as LIFE (Low-Income Fare is Easy) in January 2018. The program promotes the increased monthly savings made available for income qualifying riders and streamlines the application process. This newly re-branded program needs to be advocated to all riders.
Metro should (A) increase access to affordable public transportation for students, seniors, individuals with disabiliti...
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