Agencies Celebrate Transit Equity Day

Transit agencies across the U.S. have announced how they are celebrating and giving back to their respective communities on Transit Equity Day.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), in partnership with Metrolink, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) announced they will all offer free rides on buses, trains, and other public transportation services on Transit Equity Day, Saturday, Feb. 4.

Metro and Metrolink will also promote special discount fare programs.

The sixth-annual Transit Equity Day celebrates the birthday of Rosa Parks, a civil rights icon who, by refusing to give up her seat on a public transit bus in 1955, helped launch the civil rights movement in the U.S.

"Metro is proud to join with its sister transportation agencies to honor the legacy of Rosa Parks by ensuring that our public transportation services are free for everyone on Transit Equity Day," said Ara J. Najarian, Metro board chair. "By facilitating access to jobs, school, shopping, and other important destinations, we can greatly impact people’s lives and help them achieve their dreams. In the spirit of Rosa Parks’ legacy, Metro is now working to make transit more affordable and accessible every day for our most disadvantaged daily transit riders."

Metro will provide free rides on its bus, rail, bikeshare, and Metro Micro rideshare services on Saturday. All Metro rail station turnstiles will be unlocked, allowing unrestricted access to the rail system. On Metro Buses, bus riders will not need to TAP their fare cards at fare validators or fare boxes. 

Metro Bike Share and Metro Micro will be offering 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 using code 020423. The code may be used multiple times throughout the day. 

Metrolink will also honor the legacy of Rosa Parks by providing free fares on Saturday.

Metro will also enable rider enrollment in the agency’s reduced and low-income fare initiatives, including GoPass and Low-Income Fare is Easy (LIFE) regional transit assistance programs.

Meanwhile, the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) announced all CATS bus routes, paratransit, the LYNX Blue Line, and the City LYNX Gold Line will be fare-free in honor of Transit Equity Day.

The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) will waive transit fares for Transit Equity Day. Riders can ride at no charge on all RTA buses, streetcars, and ferries.

This fare suspension is the result of the RTA Board of Commissioners adopting the agency Fare Policy on September 27, 2022.

The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) announced the winners of its third annual Rosa Parks Tribute Scholarship essay contest ahead of Transit Equity Day.

The winners are Ryan Withers (Franklin High School), Einthiri Mudili (University School of Milwaukee), and Alyssa Ruiz (Carmen School of Science and Technology).

The three students chosen will each receive a $1,000 scholarship toward their higher education, according to the agency.