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…