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Back to School Via Metro
GLENDALE (August 31, 2022) – Glendale Community College (GCC), the City of Glendale Beeline and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) have announced a new partnership that allows all GCC students to receive a free year-long GoPass transit pass good for free rides on all Metro and Beeline buses/trains, just in time for the 2022-2023 school year.
With this partnership, Metro’s expanding GoPass program to eight community college districts in Los Angeles County. The addition of GCC comes at a crucial time for enrollment, as more students reengage on campuses following two and a half years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The GCC GoPass benefits every single student at GCC. It helps our in-person students reengage in an on-campus environment that is such an important part of the college experience,” said GCC Board President Ann Ransford. “The pass is also an important tool for our students who continue to take their classes remotely online because they can use it for any reason and on all participating transit lines. By using it for school, work or play, the pass truly opens up a whole new world.”
“I’m so glad that Metro’s GoPass Program has finally arrived for community college students in my home city of Glendale!” said Glendale City Council Member and Metro Board Chair Ara J. Najarian. “This program is one of Metro’s most transformative efforts to help Los Angeles County students gain access to educational opportunities while helping increase Metro ridership. We want to do everything we can to encourage all community colleges in L.A. County to take advantage of this unique opportunity to provide these and other key benefits for students.”
Any GCC student taking just one unit or more on the Verdugo or Garfield Campus is eligible to receive a free GCC GoPass, which allows students to ride free on Glendale Beeline, all Metro Bus and Rail lines, Pasadena Transit, LA County Shuttles, LADOT Dash, City of Commerce, Culver CityBus, Foothill Transit, GTrans, Long Beach Transit, Montebello Bus, Norwalk Transit, Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, and Torrance Transit.
“I was so excited when I heard GCC was offering this program to students,” said GCC student Myllena Cristyna Braz Da Silva. “Being able to wake up and not have to worry about how I am going to pay for my bus ride feels like a dream.”
“Data shows us that since its initial rollout, GoPass has engaged more of our County’s students as riders and, as a result, is increasing their access to more opportunities,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor and Metro Finance Committee Chair Kathryn Barger. “This new partnership also has excellent timing since Metro is preparing to open the new K (Crenshaw) Line and Regional Connector in the coming months. I’m proud of these big steps forward that create more transit connectivity to different corners of our County.”
“On behalf of Glendale City Council, we were proud to vote to fund the Beeline portion of this program,” said Glendale Mayor Ardy Kassakhian. “The City and GCC are community partners who are committed to providing all of our citizens access to education. I’ve taught at this college and have witnessed first-hand how important public transportation can be to many of these students. It can be the difference maker in terms of success. It can change the course of a person’s life for the better.”
The lack of affordable or reliable transportation is a frequently cited barrier to regular school attendance and the cost barrier to transit disproportionately impacts low-income households. Metro’s GoPass Program helps participating L.A. County students better manage the ever-rising cost of living. By providing a free transit pass good for unlimited access to public transportation not just to school, but for extracurricular activities, work, and any other destination, making it an invaluable transportation choice.
The program that serves K-12 school districts in addition to community college districts is increasingly popular. In the first year of the program, for example, students from participating schools and school districts rode transit nearly 5.6 million times. Over 90 percent of boardings are occurring Monday through Friday, with the highest usage peaking at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., which is consistent with school hours.
“With GoPass, GCC students have the freedom to get to where they need to go quickly and reliably while helping us remove cars from the road and reducing the harmful effects of climate change,” said Stephanie N. Wiggins, CEO of Metro. “I thank the administration of GCC for partnering with us and we look forward to seeing more GCC students on our system!”
The GoPass Program has grown by leaps and bounds since its official launch in 2021. Metro has already added 14 new school districts for Year 2 and is in the process of adding 10 more. Metro seeks to double participation in the program over the next year.
GCC students interested in obtaining a GCC GoPass can sign up for the GoPass program through the district’s basic needs office, GCC CARES. Students will be contacted at the beginning of Fall semester with instructions on how to pick-up the pass or request it by mail.
To obtain more information about Metro’s GoPass Fareless Pass Program, please visit www.metro.net/gopass.
About Glendale Community College
Glendale Community College is a dynamic institution with more than 25,000 students. They are enrolled in college-credit at the Verdugo Campus, continuing education at the Garfield Campus, community services classes held throughout the community, and the Professional Development Center (PDC) located in Montrose. The college serves an ethnically diverse student body with no single group forming a majority.
The faculty has used its energy to develop a wide-ranging curriculum intended to prepare students for the 21st century. Student services faculty provide invaluable academic, career, and financial counseling to students. Today the goal of those farsighted citizens of Glendale has been achieved. Higher education is available to all who come to Glendale Community College.
About Metro
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is currently providing lifeline service for essential trips and frontline workers. Metro continues building the most ambitious transportation infrastructure program in the United States and is working to greatly improve mobility through its Vision 2028 Plan.
Metro has proudly pledged to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Health and Safety Commitment Program to help ensure the safe return of transit riders as the U.S. recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stay informed by following Metro on The Source and El Pasajero at metro.net, facebook.com/losangelesmetro, twitter.com/metrolosangeles and twitter.com/metroLAalerts and instagram.com/metrolosangeles.
About Glendale Beeline
Glendale Beeline operates twelve fixed routes serving the cities of Glendale and La Cañada Flintridge and the unincorporated areas of La Crescenta and Montrose. The Beeline functions primarily as a community circulator system that complements the regional transit service provided to Glendale residents by Metro routes. Our goal is to get you to your destination in a safe, enjoyable and timely manner. Whether you’re a first time rider or a seasoned transit pro, riding the Beeline Bus is easy! Glendaleca.gov/beeline
