By Chris Tyler, Communications Manager and Metro Rider
August 12
On Friday, August 1, members of SAJE’s Transit Committee teamed up with our friends at ACT-LA to activate the intersection of Vermont Avenue and 7th Street. We conducted outreach with community members to share information around the Vermont Corridor plan and Metro’s plan for 2028 while collecting strategies for transforming L.A.’s transit infrastructure to better serve our needs. It was a hot summer day in direct sunlight, and the absence of shade at the 204 bus stop was felt, even with a cooler full of bolis!
As part of the morning’s activities, community members worked with organizers from the Black Worker Center on craft projects articulating their vision for transit in L.A. So what is it that Angelenos want, exactly?
- Fareless rides!
- Safe, accessible, and clean transit!
- Dedicated Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lanes!
- No police!
- Free public restrooms!
- More shade!
These findings will help shape ACT-LA’s People’s 2022 Transit Plan to foster regional sustainability through more just and equitable transit policies. Centering the interests of low-income communities and communities of color, who make up the majority of Metro riders, the plan advocates for community-led safety strategies rather than expensive police contracts. Some progress has already been made; LA Metro is divesting from contracts with LAPD and LASD to establish its own security staff and bring the green-shirted Transit Ambassadors in-house. But there’s still plenty of work to be done to ensure our communities are safe when they are using the system.
FARELESS TRANSIT AS A SAFETY STRATEGY
Here at SAJE, we know the clearest path to a truly safe transit system is the elimination of fares. According to a study commissioned by the Federal Transit Administration, the majority of violent incidents on public transportation are assaults on bus drivers caused by fare disputes. Not only do these assaults threaten the physical safety of drivers, but of passengers as well—who may feel unsafe just witnessing these incidents. Another study analyzing the outcomes of the Kansas City Area Transit Authority’s Zero Fare policy even found that incidents of crime declined by 39% during its first year of implementation, with more than 80% of riders surveyed via a parallel study saying that the region’s Zero Fare policy increased their overall sense of safety on buses!
It wouldn’t cost LA Metro much to get rid of fares, either. The majority of the money that funds the system comes from local sales tax revenue and state and federal grants. In fact, for every dollar LA Metro earns from fares, the agency spends at least 75 cents on the TAP fare system and law enforcement and security personnel that issue citations to enforce the fares.
IMPROVING DISCOUNT PROGRAMS FOR RIDERS
As we continue to fight for a fareless system, we’re happy to share resources around LA Metro’s current discounted fare initiative: the Low Income Fare is Easy (LIFE) program, which substantially eases the financial burden of daily Metro use. Enrolling in LIFE is easier than ever: the phone screening step has been eliminated, and enrollments are now automatically processed once an applicant self-certifies their financial status. New users still get 90 days of totally free transit, and, after that, continue saving with 20 free rides per month. And, LIFE doesn’t just work on Metro, it also works on 15 other transit agencies around L.A. County!
If you are interested in signing up for the LIFE program, LA Metro will be providing in-person enrollment assistance every month at SAJE’s Tenant Action Clinic. Please bring a photo ID, no appointment needed. Reach out to Community Organizer Carlos Gonzales at cgonzalez@saje.net for more information.
Our neighbors in and around South LA may also be eligible for an additional 6 months of free transit if they live within the boundaries of the South LA Eco-Lab. To verify eligibility, call (213) 922-2378 or email LIFEinfo@metro.net and inquire about the additional six-month free ride offer.
Public transit is a public good! For more information on our fareless campaign and to get involved with our Transit Justice Committee, email mluna@saje.net.
