AVTA and L.A. Metro Present GoPass Program to Antelope Valley Union High School District Board of Directors

Lancaster – On October 19, 2023, at the Antelope Valley Union High School District board meeting, Antelope Valley Transit Authority staff, joined with representatives from L.A. Metro, presented the L.A. Metro GoPass program to parents, students, AVUHSD staff, and AVUHSD board members.

Originally launched in August 2021 and brought to the Antelope Valley in September 2023, the GoPass program helps Los Angeles County students, and their families improve students’ access to school, deal with high costs of living, and better connect them to jobs, after school programs, clubs, and other essential services. It does this by providing unlimited, free transit rides to K-12 in participating school districts.  

Under the GoPass program, participating school districts provide fareless transit to K-12 students.  With an active GoPass TAP card, students enjoy unlimited free rides on the AVTA fixed route local bus service. Additionally, the pass works on Metro bus and rail, and other participating southern California transit agencies.

L.A. Metro and 14 municipal transit agencies partner on the GoPass pilot program: Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA), the City of Commerce Municipal Transit Lines, the City of L.A.’s DASH lines, Culver CityBus, Foothill Transit, Gardena Transit (GTrans), Glendale Beeline, L.A. County Shuttles, Long Beach Transit, Norwalk Transit, Montebello Bus, Pasadena Transit, Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, and Torrance Transit. 

Studies in L.A. County show that students receiving a transit pass have up to 27% higher graduation rates. Access to transportation improves attendance and removes obstacles to school involvement. Studies also indicate that access to public transit improves student health, feeling of wellbeing, and general success. Families of K-12 students who participate in the GoPass program see an annual savings of $312 per student. 

“AVTA is dedicated to finding a solution to cover the cost of transportation for the students of the Antelope Valley,” said Chairman Marvin Crist. “Bringing the GoPass program to the Antelope Valley delivers a tool for our school districts. While it doesn’t solve every student’s transportation need, it does provide access and covers the transportation costs for many Antelope Valley students. GoPass really benefits many needy families in the A.V. that are suffering under this problematic economy.”

As a result of the presentation, and the recommendation of the AVUHSD staff, the AVUHSD Board voted unanimously to approve the GoPass program for their school district. This is the first district to officially approve the program in the Antelope Valley. 

AVTA staff continues to develop programs and creative solutions to better address the transportation access challenges for some rural students and homeless families living in remote areas of the Antelope Valley. Parents and school districts facing challenges should contact AVTA to discuss solutions and options available.

AVTA provides local, commuter and dial-a-ride service to a population of more than 450,000 residents in the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale as well as the unincorporated portions of northern Los Angeles County. Its total service area covers 1,200 square miles and it is bounded by the Kern County line to the north, the San Bernardino County line to the east, the Angeles National Forest to the south, and Interstate 5 to the West.