Can paying people not to drive reduce traffic? Well, research and practice from around the globe show that incentives to take transit, carpool, walk or bike can reduce driving trips … and have a big impact, on the earth and on your wallet. Other research has shown that lower car ownership reduces the amount of miles we’re traveling (and time spent sitting in traffic). Even the state of California is exploring the possibility with state bill SB-457 –– which was passed in the state assembly but vetoed by the governor –– that provides a $1,000 tax rebate to residents living car-free.
This is why we are partnering with the City of Santa Monica to test this idea with the One Car Challenge pilot, where we will pay 200 residents to give one of their household cars a staycation for 5 weeks. By taking the “one-car household” lifestyle for a spin, they can make up to $599 for participating while also receiving free rides on various modes of transport to help with their transition.
Do you live in Santa Monica? Are you up for the challenge? Sign up by October 6, 2023 at bit.ly/Metro1CC
Here are the details:
The first 200 participating households will receive:
- Up to $119.80 each week for five weeks (up to $599 total per household)
- A free TAP card with $50 of Stored Value
- Metro Bike Share: 5-10 free rides per household
Participants must live in Santa Monica, have 2 or more cars per household, and be at least 21 years of age. The pilot will start in early November. If the project is successful, we’re hoping to roll it out to other areas of Los Angeles. Stay tuned for updates.
The One Car Challenge is part of a larger $1.3-million LA Metro Travel Rewards Research Pilot Project funded by a grant from the Federal Transit Administration in partnership with Duke University’s Center for Advanced Hindsight.
If you are interested in finding out more, please contact the Travel Reward Research Pilot project managers via email at shavita@metro.net and BrooksdecamarilloJ@metro.net.
Categories: Transportation News
Great idea! If there are more cars than people in your household, you can get paid for doing literally nothing.
SB 475 was vetoed by the Governor, so you should revise this post to clarify that.
Thanks for catching that; definitely warrants a clarification. Thanks – IM
Will it be a generic blue TAP Card that will be given out?
The incentives would be so much more effective if Metro Bike Share actually served Santa Monica!
Should be interesting to see what kind of results this gets. Santa Monica has one of the best local bus systems around, but service is more frequent in denser areas where there are less likely to be two cars per household. There are a number of bike shares in areas without bus lines, though.
I think it’s a great idea. Not only do many people add unnecessary vehicle trips to their regimen, but most people will do almost anything for money.