Metro Extends Free Rides to Wildfire Victims. Here's How to Sign Up
This article was originally published Jan. 24, 2025 on laist.com.
Metro’s existing free transit program will be extended to people who have been displaced in the ongoing wildfires, following a unanimous vote by the Metro Board on Thursday.
Wildfire victims now qualify for the Low Income Fare is Easy program, also known as LIFE, which offers 90 days of unlimited free Metro rides, followed by 20 free rides per month. It’s typically available for people who receive food stamps, Medi-Cal or other low-income assistance programs. If you've been affected by the fires, you have until June to sign up.
“To some, it may seem like a small benefit, but for many, it will be the exact kind of lifeline they need in this time of crisis,” said Lindsey Horvath, Metro board member and chair of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, ahead of the vote.
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How to sign up
Metro will have staff available to help people sign up at Pasadena City College and Westwood Recreation Center on Saturday and Sunday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
If you can’t make it to an in-person sign up, you can request an application by emailing the International Institute for Los Angeles at lifeinfo@iilosangeles.org.
If you’re signing up in person, all you need to do is show up, no specific paperwork is needed. If you apply online, you’ll need your ID, according to a Metro communications staffer.
Details of the program
Enrollees will get a preloaded TAP card they can use immediately on Metro, as well as other regional transit systems that participate, including Pasadena Transit and Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus.
Metro has waived fares for all of its users since Jan. 8. Fares will resume on Monday.
