Feb 9, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; A Metro bus with the words "Go Rams" is seen in downtown prior to Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Los Angeles, California – An innovative program designed to help lower-income Los Angeles County residents access affordable transportation has hit significant delays, leaving many participants frustrated and in limbo. The Metro Mobility Wallet, launched by Metro and the L.A. Department of Transportation (LADOT) in 2022, was intended to provide $1,800 over a year to 2,000 participants in Phase 2 of the program. This money could be used for various forms of transportation, including rail, bus rides, and even bike-related expenses.
However, months behind schedule, participants are still waiting to receive their prepaid cards, which were promised to be available early this year. Avital Shavit, senior director of Metro’s office of strategic innovation, cited delays with the bank vendor and “compliance testing” as the cause. As of now, no participant has been able to access the funds.
The delays have been ongoing since the program’s second phase began last year. According to Metro’s updates, participants were initially told the funds would be available in early 2025, but as of April, they have yet to receive the first $900 of their allocated amount. Metro has continued to provide updates, each one offering new dates that come and go without the cards being distributed.
In the first phase of the program, 1,000 South L.A. residents received $150 per month to spend on transportation from May 2023 through April 2024. Preliminary evaluations of Phase 1 suggest the program helped alleviate financial stress for lower-income individuals, allowing them to use the funds for essential needs beyond transportation, like groceries or family expenses.
However, as the second phase drags on, participants remain in the dark. Metro contracted with TruCash, a Canada-based fintech company, to manage the prepaid Visa cards. The company has reportedly been dealing with “ongoing technical issues,” which have prevented the cards from being activated.
Some participants hoped to use the money to enhance their mobility for personal and business reasons, but the constant delays have left users waiting for funds they desperately need.
Metro has directed frustrated participants to its LIFE program, which offers free transit passes to eligible low-income residents, but the situation continues to cause unrest among those who were promised financial relief months ago.
As Metro continues to work with TruCash and Sutton Bank to resolve the issues, participants are left hoping for a resolution soon. Shavit said more clarity about the timeline should be available by next week. Meanwhile, researchers from UCLA and UC Davis are continuing to evaluate the program’s impact, though many wonder if the delays could undermine its success.
