Bass Wants to Make Los Angeles Metro System "Fare-Free"
Bass will lead Metro as the agency posts a 9% ridership gain and board turnover continues ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
- On Wednesday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass accepted the ceremonial gavel from outgoing Metro Board Chair Fernando Dutra, beginning her second term leading the agency for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
- Dutra, a former Whittier city councilman, stepped down after losing his April re-election bid; Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson replaces him, while Santa Clarita City Councilman Jason Gibbs joins representing north LA County.
- Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins reported 26,265,480 rides last month, a 9% increase compared to June 2025, while Metro Board First Vice Chair Kathryn Barger noted violent crime decreased by more than 22% since 2024.
- Mayor Bass outlined four priorities—safety, affordability, reliability, and readiness—for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, targeting expansion of peak-hour bus lanes from 80 miles to more than 100 miles by 2028.
- The agency continues developing a long-term financial strategy to achieve fare-free transit, with Bass calling public transit a "powerful tool" to improve quality of life for all residents.
22 Articles
22 Articles
MTA touts ridership gains as Bass takes gavel - Los Angeles Wave Newspaper Group
Wave Wire Services LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Outgoing Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board Chair Fernando Dutra formally presented Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass with a ceremonial gavel July 22, as she takes the helm of the regional transportation agency for the 2026-27 fiscal year. Bass, who will chair the MTA’s Board of Directors for a second term, shared her vision during the annual State of the Agency address at Union Station, outlining her f…
LA Mayor Bass wants to make city’s Metro ‘fare-free’ as election approaches
Mayor Karen Bass said Wednesday that she wants to develop a plan to make the Metro “finally be fare-free.” Bass outlined her priorities for the upcoming year as she spoke at Union Station during the annual Los Angeles Metro State of the Agency Address. “My vision as board chair includes four priorities: Metro safe, Metro...
“We’re ready for the Olympic Games,” Bass says as he takes over the chair of the Metro board of directors: he promises security and seeks cheaper service
Mayor Bass Delivers State of the Agency Address as New LA Metro Board Chair
Mayor Karen Bass began her term as LA Metro Board chair by outlining four priorities: Metro Safe, Metro Affordable, Metro Reliable and Metro Ready. Her agenda calls for combining law enforcement with social services, expanding reduced and free-fare programs, developing a long-term path toward fare-free transit, improving bus reliability and preparing the system for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The post Mayor Bass Delivers State of the …
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