The funds are intended to help transit agencies around the country maintain service and keep workers on the payroll as surging COVID-19 cases strain the economy.
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been awarded $1.24 billion in federal American Rescue Plan funds, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced Wednesday, Jan. 12.
The funds are intended to help transit agencies around the country maintain service and keep workers on the payroll as surging COVID-19 cases strain the economy.
“Public transportation has helped people reach their jobs at hospitals, grocery stores, ports and more throughout this pandemic,” said Buttigieg, who had visited Long Beach on Tuesday to discuss progress being made to supply chain disruptions and the backlog of container vessels.
“This funding from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan will help keep transit service running, protect transit employees from layoffs and ensure people can get where they need to go,” he added.
The Federal Transit Administration’s administrator, Nuria Fernandez, said, “As our nation’s transit systems recover from COVID-19, the American Rescue Plan funds ensure that they continue to provide service to the many Americans who depend on transit to get to essential jobs, health care and vaccine appointments.”
L.A. Metro Board of Directors Chair and County Supervisor Hilda Solis celebrated the grant and said it would help the agency amid struggles brought on by the pandemic.
“As Los Angeles County experiences another surge of infections in our nearly two-year battle with the COVID-19 pandemic, the resources provided to our agency through the American Rescue Plan Act will help us weather the storm, continue on our path to rebuild and grow our ridership, maintain the highest standards of service and safety, ensure no employee is laid off, and provide equitable access to transit for all Los Angeles County residents who rely on Metro buses and trains,” Solis said.
“Metro will use the America Rescue Plan Act funds to benefit riders, including seniors, persons with disabilities, low-income and transit dependent individuals by supporting bus and rail operations and maintenance — critical activities that will ensure our transit system operates safely, efficiently, reliably, and sustainably.”
Metro employs about 11,000 workers, and in 2020 provided some 215 million trips.
The funding is part of more than $30 billion for public transportation in the American Rescue Plan Act, which was signed into law by Biden in March.
To date, the FTA has awarded over $56 billion in COVID-relief funding to transit agencies nationwide.
Fare collection resumed on Monday, Jan. 10, aboard Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority buses after being suspended as a COVID-19 precaution in March 2020.
The fares were suspended to allow people to enter buses in the back, as well as in the front where fares are collected. Train fares were never suspended during the pandemic and collection will continue to be in effect.
To assist with adjustment, Metro is offering half-price passes for six months and larger discounts for eligible low-income passengers.
Discounted passes went on sale in December, and the following promotional fares will be available through July 2022:
— $3.50 for a Day Pass;
— $12.50 for a Weekly Pass; and
— $50 for a 30-Day Pass.
Riders who enroll in a regional transportation assistance program called Low-Income Fare is Easy (LIFE) at https://bit.ly/3x6RYe5 will get 90 days of free rides and can then purchase even cheaper LIFE passes:
— $26 for a 30-day pass that normally costs $76; and
— $6.50 for a 7-Day pass that normally costs $19.50.
Metro officials say the LIFE application process has been streamlined and that forms take only a few minutes to complete with basic information on applicants and other household members.
Applicants can take photos of IDs with their phone, upload the images and email the information to Metro. Income can be self-certified if proof is unavailable.
Riders who live in the Antelope Valley, Central Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita Valley, South Bay or Westside Cities can email their applications to lifeinfo@famecorporations.org.
Riders who live in the Gateway Cities or San Gabriel Valley can email their applications to lifeinfo@iilosangeles.org.
Residents can also drop off applications to any Metro Customer Care Center in Los Angeles County.
Discounted fares will be available on Metro TAP vending machines, taptogo.net and at Metro Customer Centers.
To obtain more information about all of Metro’s available discounted fare programs, people can visit www.metro.net/fares.
