One Card to Rule Them All: LA Metro’s Experiment in a Universal Transit Wallet
Image from Shutterstock

One Card to Rule Them All: LA Metro’s Experiment in a Universal Transit Wallet

L.A. Metro is launching the largest experiment in the U.S. to provide 2,000 residents with a seamless transportation payment platform spanning public and private systems.

The agency is opening up applications for its mobility wallet as part of its universal basic mobility (UBM) pilot, helmed by L.A.’s Department of Transportation (LADOT). Metro is seeking applicants from South Los Angeles to apply by November 1. After applicants are selected, the first phase of the pilot will begin within the next few months.


One thousand participants will receive prepaid debit cards which the city will replenish with $150 per month ($1,800 total over the course of a year) to spend on multimodal transportation options in the program’s first phase. The debit card can be used to pay for Metro bus and rail, Metro Micro and 26 municipal transit agencies across L.A. County, as well as private mobility options including shared e-scooters and e-bikes, car share, ride-hailing and taxis. Participants can use funds to pay for rides from companies like Uber or Lyft, but not for personal car expenses such as gas or repairs.

In the second phase set to launch in early 2023, payment will be integrated into L.A.’s TAP card. According to Metro’s The Source, the agency was seeking private mobility operators to integrate with TAPforce, a platform providing “a seamless payment option” for multiple forms of transportation. Metro has yet to announce which private mobility companies will be integrated into TAP for phase two.

One-in-five low-income residents who ride transit don’t own a smartphone. For that reason, Metro plans to provide 200 participants with cell phones and data plans, in addition to the $150 subsidy, according to LADOT Spokesperson Colin Sweeney. The application process for receiving a phone and data plan will take place in-person.

Roughly 30% of the 370,000 residents in South L.A. live below the poverty line, according to LADOT. Studies have shown that low-income households spend a greater percentage of income (28.8%) on transportation compared to wealthier households (9.5%). The goal of the UBM pilot is to provide underserved Angelenos greater access to mobility and economic opportunities.

The agency announced the program in April with components including EV charging stations, workforce training programs, a free EV shuttle, upgrades to bus and cycling infrastructure and an “e-bike library,” which would let users checkout e-bikes.

Funding for the project comes from a $13.8 million grant from the California Air Resources Board and an additional $4 million from the city’s unappropriated balance (UB) fund.

To date, the only parts of the program in operation are the workforce development programs offered by the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator and Los Angeles Trade Technical College, according to LADOT.

Oakland piloted a universal basic mobility program in 2020, in which 500 residents received $300 total (A second phase beginning next month will include 1,000 participants); Bakersfield is piloting a program for 100 disadvantaged youth ages 18 to 24, and Pittsburgh’s 50-person UBM experiment just launched in August.

If South L.A.’s pilot is successful, the city hopes to expand it to the rest of L.A.

“The idea would be, ‘How do we roll it out around the city and then the county?” said Eli Lipmen, executive director of Move LA. “The goal is to stand it up and figure out the mechanics of it.”

LA-Based Matter Moves Into Audio to Create a Better Dating App Experience
Courtesy Matter

The latest entrant in Los Angeles' busy dating app scene has been testing audio elements and a speed dating feature as it builds toward its goal of creating meaningful relationships based on what matters most to people.

Matter is revamping its platform to capture the happy hour experience with audio. The app will soon include a speed-dating feature, allowing users to connect over a two-minute call to determine if they want to match.

Read moreShow less
Katherine Abando
Katherine Abando is a lifestyle writer and social media producer from Los Angeles. Her coverage interests include internet culture/tech and Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) identity. She enjoys learning about emerging entrepreneurs and digital trends that pop up on her social media feed. Follow her on Twitter @kaband0.
https://twitter.com/kaband0
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherineabando/
Text Message Marketing Startup Voyage SMS Raises $10 Million, Buys ‘Frenemy’ LiveRecover
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Voyage SMS, which builds text message marketing tools for online stores, has closed a $10 million funding round as well as its first-ever acquisition, the company announced Thursday.

East Coast venture firms RiverPark and York IE led the funding and were joined by angel investors including former Airbnb executive James Beshara and Birthdate Co. CEO Ajay Mehta. Birthdate Co. is among Voyage’s customers, which also include online brands Zitsticka and Negative Underwear.

Read moreShow less
Harri Weber

Harri is dot.LA's senior finance reporter. She previously worked for Gizmodo, Fast Company, VentureBeat and Flipboard. Find her on Twitter and send tips on L.A. startups and venture capital to harrison@dot.la.

RELATEDTRENDING
LA TECH JOBS
interchangeLA