Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Metro Offers Up to $600 to Drive Less, Expands Driving Reduction Program

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Metro Wednesday was expanding its One Car Challenge pilot program countywide, offering Los Angeles County households up to $600 to reduce driving and use alternative forms of transportation.

The second phase of the program builds on a 2023 pilot in Santa Monica and will expand participation from 300 households to as many as 2,000 households across L.A. County, according to Metro.

Participants who keep at least one household vehicle parked at home for five weeks while using public transit, walking, bicycling, carpooling or other transportation options can earn up to $600, or as much as $120 per week, the agency said.

Metro officials said participants will use the GoCarma smartphone app to track odometer readings and travel behavior during the program.

“The pilot showed a significant behavioral shift away from solo car trips, with the most notable increases seen in walking and micromobility,” Metro said in a statement. “Data tracked during the initial phase revealed that participants were 2.6 times more likely to avoid driving an extra vehicle, resulting in a documented 16.16% increase in walking, biking, and public transit utilization.”

Officials said data from the expanded pilot will be used to evaluate whether incentive-based programs can reduce vehicle miles traveled and serve as a long-term transportation demand management tool. The agency also plans to use the findings to help guide future transportation policy, improve traffic flow and reduce vehicle emissions.

The expanded program is funded by a $2 million Regional Early Action Planning grant from the Southern California Association of Governments.

The challenge is open to Los Angeles County residents age 21 and older. While the program is aimed at households with more than one vehicle, single-car households are also eligible to apply.

More information and registration are available at metro.net/onecar.