It’s Super Tuesday, a pivotal moment for voters across the country and Los Angeles. And thanks to LA Metro, getting to the polls has never been easier- or more affordable.
In an effort to ensure every voice is heard, the LA Metro is offering free rides on its entire network: buses, trains, bikes, and even the on-demand rideshare service, Metro Micro. This initiative breaks down one of the most significant barriers to voting: transportation.
Rick Jagger, a media representative for the LA Metro, shed light on the motivation behind the LA Metro’s move to offer these free services.
Jagger: Our board back in 2019, voted to permanently offer free rides on all federal and statewide election days. They did this to kind of make it easier for voters to get to the polls via public transit. They felt that transportation or the lack of transportation should not be a burden for people who want to get out and vote.
Curious about how to utilize the metro’s complimentary services, today? Jagger shared all the details.
Jagger: If you’re using the Metro bus or metro train, the buses will have their farebox over tap covered offer saying that it’s free rides today. For the train stations, the turnstiles and app validators will be cleared, so that you can enter the station without having to tap your card.
Not a fan of public transit? You can try their metrobikes or rideshare options.
Jagger: We’re also offering free rides on our metro bike share program, or we’re providing 30 minute rides if they use the promo code 030524. And in addition, we’re also offering free rides on metros on demand rideshare service called Metro micro.
Rakon Branch, a petitioner out at USC, praised the LA Metro’s efforts to increase accessibility for voters.
Branch: I think it’s pretty cool is making it accessible for more people. Now, people don’t really have an excuse not to vote. I’m not gonna lie. I was a person who thought it was, you know, it didn’t really matter. But as I learned more about it and got more information, it does. And I think it’s cool that they’re making it accessible for everybody.
Eva Kaleigh, a senior studying psychology at USC, feels that the Metro’s initiatives are particularly beneficial for students without personal transportation.
Kaleigh: I think it is a great way to promote people to vote. I feel like especially in LA. It’s like a big barrier in terms of travel. I know a lot of who don’t trust pt. And people, especially like college students, they don’t have cars and stuff like that. So I feel like putting taking away as many barriers as possible to get to a polling station is always a good thing.
Kaleigh also emphasized the importance of voting in the primary elections.
Kaleigh: I think it’s important people vote in the primary because I think it’s a good practice. This is like the first election that I’ve been old enough to vote in. So I was like, you know, I want to flex that muscle. So that way want to really, really matters. I know what I’m doing. I’m comfortable with the process.
Joanna Lu, a business major at USC, underscored the significance of eliminating transportation as a barrier to voting.
Lu: I think getting to voting center itself is a huge part of that voting process in general. I think it’s great. It’s getting people out to vote at a low cost. And it’s just encouraging voting all around and making it easy for them to get access to it. So I think it’s great.
Perspectives like these make it clear that the community sees value in the LA Metro’s effort, recognizing it not just as a convenience but as a crucial step towards inclusive voting.
As we move through the day, the LA Metro stands as a beacon of Los Angeles’ commitment to democracy, offering not just a ride, but a bridge over one of the many obstacles on the path to the polling station.