What if simply leaving your car parked could put hundreds of dollars back in your pocket? That’s exactly what Los Angeles is offering through a program that pays eligible commuters up to $600 for changing how they travel. Designed to encourage residents to rely less on personal vehicles, the initiative could reward thousands for making a simple shift in their daily routines. Here’s how the program works, who qualifies, and what participants need to do to claim the cash.
A bold experiment in traffic-choked LA
For decades, personal cars have reigned supreme in Southern California. But as gridlock worsens, transit officials are testing a radical question: What if the key to clearing the freeways isn’t building more lanes, but directly bankrolling a change in habits?
Enter Phase 2 of LA Metro’s One Car Challenge, an ambitious pilot program offering up to $600 to Los Angeles County residents who willingly bench at least one household vehicle for five full weeks. Instead of reaching for their car keys, participants are encouraged to navigate the city by bus, light rail, bicycle, on foot, or via rideshares.
The initiative marks a massive scale-up from a modest 2023 trial in Santa Monica, which involved roughly 300 multi-car households. This time around, Metro is casting a much wider net — targeting approximately 2,000 households countywide and opening eligibility to single-car households for the very first time.
How the One Car Challenge works
To cash in, drivers can’t simply take the agency on its word. Participants must be at least 21 years old and agree to let technology keep them honest. Travel routines and vehicle mileage are continuously monitored using the GoCarma smartphone app, which automatically records trips to verify that the target vehicle remains parked. Those who complete the five-week hiatus stand to walk away with the full $600 payout…