Class Act: An Assessment of Los Angeles Metro’s U-Pass Program (brief)

Abstract

In 2016, Metro introduced the Universal College Student Transit Pass (U-Pass), its reduced transit fare pass program for college and university students, with the expressed goal of increasing student transit ridership. Researchers have found that reduced transit fare pass programs for university students are successful in increasing student transit use and reducing trips by private automobile to campus, generally with modest operational costs imposed on transit agencies. Is this true for U-Pass? A relatively young program, U-Pass raises questions for Metro staff about added costs and service demand on Metro buses and trains in exchange for increased ridership and student savings. Using ridership and survey data from the first two years of U-Pass, this research explores the relationships between U-Pass and student transit ridership, service demand and operating costs, and fare revenue productivity of curb space. U-Pass is found to be fulfilling its promise of increasing student transit ridership. One in five U-Pass participants did not ride Metro before the program. The introduction of U-Pass typically results in limited changes to service on lines accessing institutions; U-Pass’ impact on Metro’s operating costs varies by institution, but is usually relatively modest. However, pass prices and student participation vary drastically by school. Occasional transit riders are less likely to opt in to the pass as its price increases, creating a feedback loop of declining student participation and increasing prices to cover a relatively small group of frequent transit users. Metro also receives less fare revenue under U-Pass than it would under participants’ previous travel and payment behaviors — even with the addition of new riders.

About the Project

In 2016, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) introduced the Universal College Student Transit Pass (U-Pass), its reduced transit fare pass program for college and university students, with the expressed goal of increasing student transit ridership. An increase in college student transit ridership has great potential in Los Angeles County, where public transit ridership is declining, traffic congestion is worsening, and over one million students are enrolled in postsecondary education at public institutions. Researchers have found that reduced transit fare pass programs for university students are successful in increasing student transit use, generally with modest operational costs imposed on transit agencies. Is this true for U-Pass? A relatively young program, U-Pass raises questions for Metro staff about added costs and service demand on Metro buses and trains in exchange for increased ridership and student savings. Using ridership and survey data from the first two years of U-Pass, this research explores the relationships between U-Pass and student transit ridership, service demand and operating costs, and fare revenue.