Abstract
In October 2021, the Los Angeles Count Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro), in collaboration with other regional transit operators and multiple school districts across the county, launched the GoPass pilot program to offer free transit passes to K-14 students, which became permanent in early 2024. Students in a high school district in the Greater Los Angeles area were surveyed to determine the reasons students decided to participate in GoPass and how the students subjectively valued their travel preference. Students were less likely to participate in the GoPass program if they had the use of a car for trips to school but more likely if they had the option to take transit for trips leaving school. Student demographics did not play a large role in whether they participated in GoPass. Students highly value cars and trip amenities, such as onboard Wi-Fi. They subjectively value reduced travel time at $71/hour, similar to other studies among adults, but valued reduced waiting time at $98/hour, again consistent with other studies that find a high relative value for shorter waiting time. Students are not likely to be persuaded to take transit merely by making it free. Instead, school districts may consider increasing the cost for campus parking permits and reducing the number of campus parking spaces to encourage greater use of transit and shared travel modes.
