LOS ANGELES (CNS) - With the first L.A. teachers' strike in 30 years possibly starting Thursday, L.A. Metro is proposing to offer free rides to students of the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Students would be able to ride free from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. each strike day under the directive from Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington, in consultation with L.A. County Supervisor and Metro Board Chair Sheila Kuehl.
The full Metro Board will consider the matter at its January 24 meeting if a strike is still underway.
“LAUSD is the country's second largest school district with more than 600,000 students. At Metro, we want to help those kids who may be staying home from school because of the strike find constructive and educational ways to spend their time,” Kuehl said. “Free Metro access will help make it easier for students and their families to get to parks, museums, libraries and other facilities.”
“We have to do everything possible to ease the burden on parents and children affected by a strike,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said. “Free rides on Metro mean that families will have one less thing to worry about while both parties work toward an agreement.”
“Students are the next generation of Metro customers,” Washington said. “We want them to know they can depend on our transit services as we continue to build a robust, world-class system for them and future generations to come.”
Metro bus operators will check LAUSD student IDs on-board buses and fare enforcement officers will allow students, with ID cards, to ride without fares on Metro's Gold, Blue, Green and Expo light rail lines. On the Metro Red and Purple Lines, Metro will deploy TAP personnel to facilitate students' free entry through subway fare gates.
Also Tuesday, the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County announced that it will offer free general admission to all LAUSD students and chaperones for the duration of the strike.
The offer applies weekdays Monday-Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County includes the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park, La Brea Tar Pits, and the William S. Hart Museum.