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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - LA Metro and other transit agencies in Southern California will offer free rides this Saturday to celebrate Transit Equity Day, officials announced today.
Metrolink and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority will also participate in providing free fares. The agencies will celebrate the sixth annual Transit Equity Day, which honors the civil rights icon Rosa Parks.
``By facilitating access to jobs, school, shopping, and other important destinations, we can greatly impact people's lives and help them achieve their dreams,'' said Ara Najarian, chair of the Metro board. ``In the spirit of Rosa Parks' legacy, Metro is now working to make transit more affordable and accessible every day for our most disadvantaged daily transit riders.''
Metro's buses, rail and bikeshare services will be free on Saturday. People can also redeem a 30-minute free ride on Metro Bike Share by selecting ``1-Ride'' on the kiosks and using the code 020423. L.A. County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who also serves on the Metro board, said that Transit Equity Day is a reminder of transit's ``unfortunate history of racism and classism,'' along with what Metro should strive to be -- ``safe, clean, reliable and affordable.''
``I am committed to achieving a Metro system that does not put disproportionate cost burdens on our highest need populations and in creating a transit ecosystem that serves all Angelenos,'' Mitchell said.