The GoPass program will now provide free rides to those attending adult education programs within LAUSD in addition to K-12 students.
The partnership program between the LAUSD and Metro allows students to get unlimited rides with their school-issued Metro cards.
With two months left in 2023, the average gas price in Los Angeles is near $5.50, according to AAA. The average car payment is more than $500, and car insurance is an additional $200, according to Nerd Wallet. These are all contributing factors to the financial burden of getting children to school.
“My dad works a lot, so he’s not always able to take me by car, so I have to take the Metro bus,” said Dillan Roberston, a senior at Foshay Learning Center in Expo Park.
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“I live in the Leimert Park area, kind of by Crenshaw, to get to school takes me around 30 minutes, maybe 25 on a good day,” he added.
LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the program is about creating equity. “Whether we’re talking about the libraries, the museums, the parks, schools, college, university, if we want them to be fully functioning in our community, we need to build equity.”
Carvalho added that chronic absenteeism reached about 50% last school year, and this year, it's already closer to 20%, largely due to the GoPass.
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“I get the train from here, get off and then take a bus,” said Dulce Catalan, a junior at Foshay Learning Center.
The program saw a 126% jump in taps last year at 5.5 million, something Mayor Karen Bass hopes will only grow.
“We want to make sure that cost is never a barrier to accessibility or opportunity,” Bass said.
Metro’s CEO said they also provide extra security on routes to and from schools.
How to get the GoPass card?
LAUSD students can get the unlimited GoPass from their school. It will need an activation code, which they received via Schoology online portal.
- Pick up the GoPAss TAP from your school.
- Activate their pass online or by calling 866.TAPTOGO.
- Wait one hour for the registration to be processed and then tap the card at any TAP vending machine, gate, or Metro ride within 21 days to activate the pass.
- Ride on Metro and participating partner agencies for free through June 30, 2024.
- Take a photo of the back of the GoPass TAP card in case it is lost or stolen. School administration can provide a replacement card and activate it once again.
Anyone who is not a student will need to purchase a regularly priced ticket. Verify the qualifying schools that provide a GoPass. More details about the Student Adventure Pass here.
