MEMORANDUM
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
DATE: May 21, 2024
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Patrick Prescott, Community Development Director In fur f.frescott VIA: David Kriske, Assistant Community Development Director, Transportation
BY: Karen Pan, Transportation Services Manager
Nick Burant, Administrative Analyst I|
SUBJECT: Budget Discussion Paper - Metro GoPass and Student Transportation Options
BACKGROUND
In September 2020, the Metro's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) launched the Fareless Service Initiative to "embark on an intensive process of studying and identifying facts, challenges, opportunities, and recommendations related to eliminating fares on Metro buses and trains". At their May 27, 2021 meeting, the Metro Board adopted a 23-month Fareless Service Initiative Pilot. A significant part of this pilot was the development and implementation of what is now called the GoPass Program for K-12 and community college students. The GoPass Program was extended in 2023 through the 2024 school year, and was made permanent on April 25, 2024.
The GoPass Program provides unlimited fare-free access to Metro and other participating transit agencies for all students in participating Los Angeles County school districts. Some of Metro's key objectives with outreaching to school districts and other local transit agencies include:
• Increase student ridership, improve student health, and student success by building on existing programs;
• Establish cost-sharing partnerships with K-12 districts, community college districts, and transit agencies;
• Create regional student passes through collaboration with other transit agencies in Los Angeles county; and
• Create a new generation of lifelong transit riders.
1 Currently, Burbank Unified School District (BUSD) does not participate in the GoPass Program. At the May 7, 2024 Burbank City Council meeting, Mayor Schultz requested information about a potential partnership with BUSD to participate in the GoPass Program.
DISCUSSION
The GoPass program continues to expand since 2021. As of March 2024, 113 K-12 public school districts, charter school networks, and independent charter and private schools are participating in the GoPass program, along with one adult/vocational district (LAUSD Adult Education) and nine (9) community college districts representing 17 colleges for a total of 123 total school districts. Currently, 27% of 81 public school districts in Los Angeles County are participating in the program, along with 69% of charter networks, 39% of independent charter schools and 69% of community college districts. As of April 2, 2024, over 376,000 unique GoPass participants have benefitted from the program, which is approximately 33% of the 1.15 million eligible students in participating districts, compared to about 6% of Los Angeles County residents who ride transit. Additional information about GoPass participants can be found in Attachment 1.
Cost Sharing
Students become eligible for GoPass program if their school district opts to participate.
The cost sharing for school district partnerships is $7.00 per student per year for all enrolled students in each district. The cost also includes free TAP cards to students, which are normally $2.00 each. Based on the 2022-2023 school year enrollment for BUSD of 14,432 students and the $7.00 per student rate, the estimated cost for BUSD to participate in the GoPass program for its students would be $101,024 per year. It should be noted that this annual cost is paid regardless of the number of students who actually participate in the program.
Metro Staff who manage the GoPass program indicates that the California Department of Education, however, has a funding program called the Home-to-School Transportation Reimbursement. It provides a reimbursement of up to 60% of eligible transportation expenditures. The GoPass program is an eligible expense, and therefore BUSD could apply for and receive a reimbursement of $60,614.40, which would lower the cost to $2.80 per student, or $40,409.60 per year for BUSD. This cost would be adjusted each school year based on the total number of enrolled students.
GoPass Sign-Up Process
If BUSD participates in GoPass, BUSD can distribute TAP cards to students. Students would then sign up for GoPass by registering their TAP cards online (https://www.taptogo.net/gopass) or by calling 866-TAP-TOGO (1-866-827-8646) at least one hour before use on Metro and their transit partners; students must use their TAP card within 14 days of registration. Virtual cards for smartphones are also available through the TAP app, and must be used within 30 days to activate. ' Data from Metro, April 2024
2 Data from National Center for Education Statistics, 2024 2 Participating Local Transit Agencies
Students may use their GoPass TAP cards for fare-free access to all of Metro and the 15 transit partners. Antelope Valley Transit, Culver CityBus, Foothill Transit, Gardena Transit (GTrans), Los Angeles County Shuttles, Lynwood Trolley, City of Commerce, Norwalk Transit, Montebello Bus, Torrance Transit, Pasadena Transit, Glendale Beeline, Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, Los Angeles DOT's Dash, and Long Beach Transit are participating agencies. These partnerships represent 56% (15 out of 27) of the transit agencies on the TAP system. BurbankBus is currently not a transit partner of the GoPass program. Stored value TAP cards are accepted on BurbankBus, as are EZ Pass TAP cards.
To become a participating local transit agency, City Staff would contact the Metro TAP office to program GoPass onto the BurbankBus TAP fare readers. Revenue can be generated from GoPass, and it is based on a formula where Metro reimburses each transit agency for a percentage of each participating school district's ridership. If BurbankBus were to accept GoPass, the bulk of the City's reimbursement would likely come from BUSD students' patronage of BurbankBus and could also see reimbursements from Glendale Unified and Los Angeles Unified students.
Student Transit Access Alternatives to GoPass
Student Reduced Fare Program
Any student in Burbank can apply for a reduced fare TAP card today (https://www.metro.net/riding/fares/students-k-12l). The application requires proof of enrollment from their school. Once approved, the card is mailed to the student. Student fare is $0.75 per ride, capped at $6.00 per week, which is a maximum of $312.00 per year. As a point of comparison, regular TAP fare is $1.75 per ride, capped at $5.00 per day and $18.00 per week, which is a maximum of $936.00 per year. However, this fare is only good on Metro, and is not available at any of the participating GoPass transit agencies.
BurbankBus Option
At the May 7, 2024 City Council meeting, Mayor Schultz requested information on how the City of Burbank could improve student access to public transportation. The City of Burbank could further expand accessibility of public transportation to Burbank middle and high school students by offering free rides to those who display a valid BUSD identification card on BurbankBus. BurbankBus currently offers free rides on its fixed-routes for seniors (60+ years old) who possess a City Senior Activity Card, and for disabled riders (all ages) who are enrolled in Los Angeles County Access Services, The City could offer similar free fare for Burbank students who can show a school ID.
Costs and Next Steps
The City Council could consider a partnership with BUSD to provide GoPass to the City's student population through a direct contribution of transportation funds to BUSD.
However, the cost of joining GoPass is already significantly subsidized for school districts through the California Department of Education Home-to-School Transportation Reimbursement. Providing a further subsidy to BUSD would involve: (1) developing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and BUSD; the MOU would need to be approved by both the City Council and School Board; (2) administering the distribution and reimbursement of funds to the District each year; and (3) ensuring proper financial controls, particularly as these funds are audited each year by Metro. Since this administrative cost does not compare favorably to the cost to BUSD for the program, staff does not recommend providing an additional subsidy to BUSD to cover the cost of the GoPass program. It is recommended that BUSD utilize the State's transportation reimbursement program instead.
If Council provides direction to include BurbankBus as a participating GoPass agency, staff will initiate the process with Metro. Metro estimated that the addition of GoPass to the City's fare readers would take about two months. While the City would expect to see revenue contributed to the Proposition C Local Return Fund from Metro's annual GoPass reimbursement, , forecasting whether it would be a net positive impact is difficult because the City would likely forgo some revenue from students who are currently using BurbankBus.
If Council chooses to implement free student fares for BurbankBus, it is recommended that Council direct staff to modify the Citywide Fee Schedule to add a new zero-cost fare for students. Students who present a valid Burbank Unified School District identification would be eligible for this zero-cost fare. The cost to provide this free fare would be nominal and would reflect the fares currently received by students who ride BurbankBus.
CONCLUSION
The Metro GoPass Program provides unlimited fare-free access to Metro and 15 participating transit agencies for students of registered school districts. For the Metro Go Pass Program and student transportation alternatives, Council has three options to consider:
1. Partner with BUSD and develop a memorandum of understanding where the City provides direct contribution of transportation funds to BUSD for the GoPass Program. Council would determine the contribution amount to BUSD;
2. Without City's assistance, BUSD can participate in the GoPass program by upfronting the annual cost to Metro and look into their participation cost being reimbursed up to 60% by the Home-to-School Transportation Reimbursement Program at the California Department of Education; or
3. Partner with BUSD to implement free fares for middle and high schools to ride BurbankBus. This would provide transit services to students without any cost to BUSD, and the cost to the City would be nominal.
Staff is recommending options 2 and 3. There would be no significant cost to creating this new program and it can be implemented quickly. If BUSD is unable to upfront the cost to Metro, the City can partner with BUSD to implement free fares for students who ride BurbankBus.
ATTACHMENT
Attachment 1 - Metro GoPass Information
4 ATTACHMENT 1: METRO GOPASS INFORMATION
K-14 Participation by Age
Majority of Age Breakdown
registrants are in 20K
the 14-17 age
range, followed by 15K
11-13 age range
17% under 13 yrs.
Average age 15.5 5K
OK 1234567
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
October 2023
Demographics - Participants' Household Income
Household Income Breakdown
$200,000 and over 2K
$150,000-$199,9... 1K As of 4/7/2023
$100,000-5149,9... 2K 52% Answered
79% Under $35K
$50,000-$99,999 9K
89% Under $50K
$35,000-$49,999 12K
$25,000-$34,999 16K
$15,000-$24,999 27K
Under $15,000 54K
Prefer not to ans... 113K
OK 50K 100K
ATTACHMENT 1 - 1
Demographics - Participants' Race and Ethnicity
Ethnicity Breakdown
Asian Or Pacific Is...
16.6K (7%)
Black
17.8K (8%)
Prefer not....
33.8K (14%)
Hispanic 151.4K (64%)|
As of 4/7/2023
64% Hispanic
8% Black
7% Asian or Pacific Islander
6% White
ATTACHMENT 1 - 2