Are you a high school, community college or ESL student? You might qualify for FREE rides with GoPass! 

During his last year of high school, Axel Hernandez rode transit to go everywhere: to school, to the mall, to the movies, to his friends’ homes and to run errands.

He never paid a dime because he was enrolled in GoPass, a Metro program that offers free bus and train rides to K-12 and community college students in Los Angeles County. “GoPass has been a financial relief for my family. During my senior year, there were six people living in my house,” says the 18-year-old. “With the money my family saved, we were able to buy groceries, buy school supplies, and install a wireless modem in our house.”  

After finishing high school, Axel began to think about his career plans. He remembered the times he went with his father to work in the home remodeling business. “My dad installs sinks, tiles, windows and more. It’s something I like,” he says.

Excited, Axel enrolled in construction classes at the Los Angeles Technology Center (LATC), but he was worried. He thought he would have to start paying fares to use transit, since LATC is not a community college. To his relief, found out that GoPass would still cover his trips.   

This is a common misconception with the GoPass program –– many who enroll assume that it only benefits high school students. Not so!

GoPass provides unlimited FREE rides to the students enrolled in participating schools that offer adult education. You can also use GoPass year round, including summer activities! 

“All of the public schools districts have adult schools under them and the LAUSD [Los Angeles Unified School District] is one of them,” says Devon Deming, deputy executive director of Metro Fare Programs. “Those adult education schools cover vocational training, non-traditional K-12, and English as a Second Language.” Students enrolled in General Education Development (GED) and citizenship classes also qualify for GoPass.  

“I think everyone [who qualifies] should take advantage of this program,” says Axel, noting he’s helping his family save money on gasoline. “Plus, GoPass gives me independence. I don’t like asking others for rides…I go to school, but I also visit Santa Monica, DTLA and Little Tokyo.”   

Deming says that there are students enrolled in GoPass from 113 school districts and nine community college districts. More than 393,000 students from nearly 1,600 schools have benefitted from the program over the last three years! (To see if your school participates, check here).   

Metro isn’t the only transit agency to honor GoPass –– you can also enjoy local free rides from 16 participating transit agencies, including LADOT DASH, Lawndale Beat, Antelope Valley Transit and others. (Click here for a full list.)  

Still on the fence? Just ask Emma Sanchez, another student from LATC enrolled in GoPass. “I found out about GoPass because my teachers said they were giving a pass to use public transportation for free. I went to register, and it was an easy process,” she says. “I only provided my name, date of birth, the name of my school, and my eligibility code [this code is provided by the school].”   

The 19-year-old was born in the United States but spent much of her childhood abroad. She started classes at LATC in 2023 to take her high school equivalency exam (HiSET), which she passed. Now Emma is taking ESL. “I come to classes five days a week and having this program has helped me save a lot of money,” says Emma.   

Many of Emma’s classmates use GoPass, too. “They have told me that using public transportation works for them because finding parking at the school or in the surrounding area is terrible. Many had to arrive earlier to find a spot or park far away,” says Emma, who is grateful that the GoPass program exists for those who do not yet work or have a car. “This improves our access to school, jobs, entertainment and much more.”