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A bus at the Metro station in North Hollywood. | Photo courtesy of Cian Ginty/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
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Regional transit providers will provide free rides on buses, trains and other public transportation services Sunday in celebration of Transit Equity Day.
Transit Equity Day is an annual celebration on the birthday of Rosa Parks, who by refusing to give up her seat on a public transit bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955 helped launch the civil rights movement. It’s a day of action highlighting the efforts of transit providers, labor unions and climate justice advocates to promote equity in public transportation.
Metro, Metrolink, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Orange County Transportation Authority, Riverside County Transportation Commission and San Bernardino County Transportation Authority are among the agencies that will partake in the celebration.
“Metro continues to expand the system by opening new bus and rail lines throughout the region and improving public transit in neighborhoods as we know that removing barriers to transportation can create new opportunities,” Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chair Karen Bass said in a statement. “We are excited to offer free rides to honor Rosa Parks and Transit Equity Day on Sunday, Feb. 4.”
Metro will provide free rides on its bus, rail, bikeshare and Metro Micro rideshare services. All Metro rail station turnstiles will be unlocked, allowing unrestricted access to the rail system.
On Metro buses, riders will not need to use their TAP fare cards.
Metro Bike Share and Metro Micro will offer free rides that day as well. Users can redeem their Metro Bike Share 30-minute free ride by selecting “1-Ride” at any Metro Bike Share kiosk, online or in the Metro Bike Share app, and use code 020424. The code may be used multiple times throughout the day.
To redeem a free ride on Metro Micro, the agency’s on-demand ride-sharing service available in selected LA County neighborhoods, riders can simply book their ride and use code Equity24.
Metrolink passenger rail, serving riders throughout the region, will also honor Rosa Parks and transit equity by providing free fares on Sunday.
When riders arrive at a station, they can simply board the train to anywhere in Metrolink’s six-county service area.
Metrolink’s Arrow service in San Bernardino County will also be free.
“We are proud to join our regional transit partners in offering free rides on Feb. 4, as part of our broader commitment to advancing transit equity in Southern California,” Metrolink CEO Darren Kettle said in a statement.
Kettle said Metrolink will continue to explore new and creative ways to address transit inequity in the communities it serves.
“For instance, added midday and late-night service on our Antelope Valley Line is creating new opportunities for riders who work outside of the traditional 8-to-5 window — a model we hope to replicate on additional lines later this year.”
SBCTA is sponsoring free bus and train fares for everyone boarding San Bernardino County transit providers within the county.
Omnitrans, Victor Valley Transit Authority and Basin Transit will operate at no cost on Sunday and Monday, while Mountain Transit and Needles Area Transit will be free for riders on the latter day.
Orange County’s OC Bus and Riverside County’s Riverside Transit Agency will offer free rides on Sunday. Ventura County transportation providers will commemorate Transit Equity Day with complimentary fares on Monday.
