One of those offering free rides is the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro), the third-largest transit provider in the nation and the largest in California.
In an email, Edith “Edie” Burge, interim director of communications at L.A. Metro, said, “Metro encourages all eligible county residents to exercise their constitutional right to vote. By offering free rides on Election Day, Metro is doing its part to encourage voter turnout and make it easier for people to travel to and from local polling places.”
It’s not just the large transit systems suspending fares on Nov. 5. Smaller operators like the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Washoe County, Nev., are suspending fares on Election Day. In the last three national election cycles, RTC has noticed increased ridership on Election Day, Don Swain, general manager of Keolis Reno operations, said in a statement. The company runs fixed-route bus services for RTC in Reno, Nev.
Other transit providers giving free rides on Election Day include California’s Sacramento Regional Transit, which offers bus and light rail services within Sacramento County; North Carolina’s Charlotte Area Transit System, which provides bus, rail and streetcar transportation in the city; and the Regional Metropolitan Transit Authority of Omaha, Neb., which offers bus services across roughly 100 square miles.
Riders of other forms of mobility will also see perks on Election Day. Lime, the nationwide provider of micromobility options like bikes and scooters, will offer two free 30-minute rides on Nov. 5, to users who type in the code VOTE2024. The special began Oct. 29, during early voting. The company is also wrapping its bikes and scooters in QR codes that will direct riders to a web page where they can register to vote, and check they are already registered.
“There are so many key issues at stake that impact people’s lives and we’re committed to making it easier for our riders to vote and make their voices heard,” Emily Gibbs, senior manager of social impact at Lime, said in an emailed statement.
