Abstract
Fare-free transit programs are increasingly used to increase ridership and reduce household transportation costs, especially for lower-income households. In California, where fewer than ten percent of school trips are made on school buses and many students travel long distances to reach school, transit costs and access can pose real barriers to education and after school opportunities. At the same time, fare-free programs require substantial and ongoing public investment, raising important questions about whether eliminating fares alone is enough to meaningfully change student travel behavior.
In October 2021, LA Metro—the largest transit agency in Los Angeles County—launched the GoPass pilot program in partnership with other transit operators and multiple school districts, providing free transit passes to K-14 students. To better understand how GoPass influences student travel, who participates, and why, the research team examined student travel behavior, perceptions, and program participation across two complementary studies. One focused on Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), including a survey of 1,800 LACCD students, while the other focused on high school students in a predominantly low-income school district.
