Universal Basic Mobility Program

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) has a vision that in Los Angeles, all people have access to safe and affordable transportation choices that treat everyone with dignity and support an equitable, thriving city. LADOT seeks to eliminate the functional and/or structural immobility people experience due to systemic marginalization, cost burdens, and other forms of exclusion by adopting a Universal Basic Mobility (UBM) approach to transportation. When people’s right to movement is restricted, their personal health and wellbeing, productivity and belonging, and happiness are negatively affected.

LADOT aims to progress towards UBM by prioritizing distinct programs and projects. The Sustainable Transportation Equity Project (STEP) offers an unprecedented opportunity to put this work into motion in South Los Angeles - delivering tangible and measurable results that will disrupt institutions and systems that breed inequity. 

LADOT is committed to fighting climate change and pursuing climate equity in underserved neighborhoods on the front lines of the climate crisis. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) launched the Sustainable Transportation Equity Project (STEP) in 2019 to help communities reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase access to clean transportation and address community transportation needs through transportation and land use projects in climate burdened neighborhoods. STEP is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities. LADOT’s UBM pilot will integrate access across existing and new transportation options, introduce new shared mobility options for residents and workers, expand and integrate fare payment subsidies, provide green jobs training, and expand electrification to advance Universal Basic Mobility for South LA residents.

The CARB STEP program awarded LADOT a $13.8M grant in 2022, forming the backbone funding for LADOT's UBM pilot. LADOT provided an additional $4M, bringing the total to $17.8M in funding.  

A Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) round 4 grant of $35M was awarded by the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) in 2023 to Community Partners for the South LA EcoLab project. South LA EcoLab received the highest score of all submitted TCC proposals and the highest possible grant award. The project leverages an additional $24M in funding to implement economic development through climate action in a 3.9 square mile area in the heart of South Los Angeles, also within the STEP project boundary. LADOT is a sub-recipient to Community Partners and was awarded $6.2M to expand several UBM elements, including EV car share, the STEP grant e-bike library, EV charging infrastructure and street safety improvements.  The South LA Eco-Lab is a transformative, community-driven initiative creating a greener, healthier and more resilient neighborhood via economic development through climate action. With 11 interconnected projects, the South LA Eco-Lab brings together residents, small businesses, community-based organizations, and public agencies to address long-standing environmental and economic challenges in South Los Angeles. 

In total, the City of LA was awarded $20M through the CARB STEP and TCC grants, provided approximately $9M in local match, and has received $5M through the budget process to pilot and implement Universal Basic Mobility. 

The UBM Pilot Area covers much of South Los Angeles, bounded approximately by the 10 East Freeway to the north, South Alameda Street to the east, Crenshaw Boulevard to the west and Florence Avenue to the South. This South LA neighborhood was chosen for the UBM pilot because:

• It is home to a population of over 370,000 with 29% percent of households below the poverty level  and 19% receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
• All of the project area qualifies as either an SB 535 Disadvantaged Community or an AB 1550 Low-Income Community; the vast majority of the area qualifies under both.
• The majority of residents are people of color with two-thirds Hispanic and a quarter African-American.Over 6% of households reported owning no vehicle and 30% own one vehicle. 
• Over 6% of households reported owning no vehicle and 30% own one vehicle. 6.7% of workers in the area walk or bike to work and 14.3% take transit to work. 

The following sections provide more detail on the project elements and partners that are a part of the South LA UBM program:

A. Mobility Wallet

 
SOUTH LA UBM MOBILITY WALLET

The Mobility Wallet (MW) is an innovative two-year pilot project jointly administered by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) and LADOT and will serve 3,000 participants. The MW program enables residents to pay for various transportation options using a prepaid debit card. MW removes barriers to transportation access by providing $1,800 over 12 months to each eligible participant. Funding for the program is provided through the STEP grant, a $2 Million investment from LADOT, and additional grant money secured by Metro, making Los Angeles' MW program the largest of its kind in the nation.

Phase I of the mobility wallet served approximately 1,000 subscribers for one year and ended Summer 2024. If you applied to Phase I of the pilot program and you have questions about your participation, please email mobilitywallet@metro.net.

Phase II applications closed in August 2024 and participants will begin receiving mobility wallets in Spring 2025. Phase II created an eligible pool of participants among low income residents across LA County, in addition to the South LA UBM pilot area, who meet Metro's LIFE eligibility criteria. Participants have been selected at random from the applications received and will be contacted with details on how to receive their Mobility Wallet cards.

The Mobility Wallet Phase II provides 2,000 participants with $1,800 over 12 months to spend on a variety of shared transportation services including:

• Metro Bus, Rail and Micro
• City Buses
• Bikeshare
• Metrolink
• E-Scooters and Bikes
• Taxi ServicesRegional Transportation (Greyhound, Amtrak and Flix Bus)
• Ride Hailing Services (Uber / Lyft)
• Merchandise purchased at local bike shops

The Universities of California, Davis and Los Angeles are evaluating this mobility wallet pilot for the purposes of improving transportation equity and reducing personal vehicle travel/ownership to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Please check back for information on the findings, expected Spring 2026. For more information on Mobility Wallet Phase II and to sign up for future opportunities, please visit Metro website.

Please direct any questions to mobilitywallet@metro.net.

MOBILITY WALLET FOR HACLA EV LENDING LIBRARY FOR ECONOMIC EQUITY PROGRAM

LADOT is helping to pay for members of HACLA’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program's transportation expenses by providing them with a Mobility Wallet. Eligible applicants received a prepaid debit card loaded with $1,000 over 6 months to spend on transportation services like buses, trains, bikeshare, electric scooters, and rideshare. LADOT will be analyzing the results of this program to assess its impact on participants' level of transportation security.

B. Electric Mobility

E-bike library: On April 16th, 2024, the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), in partnership with LADOT and community organizations, with funding from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), officially launched the first E-bike lending library pilot in South Central Los Angeles to expand access to sustainable transportation.

The lending library, entitled South Central Power Up is deploying 250 e-bikes, available to rent for a month at a time at 7 different locations in the community, to help riders get around more easily, reliably and affordably. This program is a result of over a year of collaboration, outreach, and organizing from the community organizations that will serve as hubs to rent e-bikes and provide training to all participants, including People for Mobility Justice, Ride On! Bike Shop, RideWitUs, SCOPE, T.R.U.S.T South LA, Esperanza Community Housing, Mercado La Paloma, Labor Community Strategy Center, and Community Services Unlimited.

If you are a resident of South LA and would like to check out an e-bike from one of these hubs, head to South Central Power Up website to apply.

On-demand community shuttle: LADOT will pilot an on-demand community electric shuttle to fill in gaps in Downtown Area Short Hop (DASH) service to eliminate the need for transfers.

Free CityRide Membership: Cityride is a transportation assistance program for individuals aged 65 or older and qualified persons with disabilities residing in the City of Los Angeles and select areas of Los Angeles County. As part of UBM Pilot program, LADOT will add 4 electric shuttles to CityRide South LA service area and subsidize up to 5,000 annual membership fees for residents of the UBM Project Pilot Area. Regular CityRide customers pay $21 to receive $84 in fares per quarter, with Low Income customers paying $9 to receive $84 in fares per quarter. During the UBM Pilot Project period, these fees will be waived for up to 5,000 members, subject to funding availability.

C. Charging for All

A network of public Level 2 (L2) electric vehicle (EV) chargers has been installed throughout the project area, including over 100 chargers at LA Public Libraries, Recreation and Park facilities, and on street lights.

All 10 chargers at parks are solar powered units with 2 charge points at each unit at the following parks: Gilbert Lindsay, Van Ness, South LA Sports Activity Center, Slauson Rec Center and Fred Roberts.

LADOT has installed four chargers at each of the following libraries: Hyde Park Miriam Matthews, Vernon, Ascot and Junipero Serra libraries.

Our partners at the Bureau of Street Lighting have already installed 52 EV chargers mounted to streetlights throughout South Los Angeles with an additional 23 still to come.

As part of the TCC grant, an additional 16 new, publicly accessible, L2 electric vehicle (EV) car charging stations affixed to streetlights will be coming soon to streets surrounding the South Park, Vermont Square, Harvard Recreation Center and South LA Wetlands Park. Installation of the chargers is on track to be completed by the end of 2026.

D. Quick-build Active Streets

LADOT will engage with the neighborhood through pop-up demonstrations, temporary installations like fresh planters or curb paint, community-design exercises and other methods to implement street safety elements to envision spaces that are safe and accessible to all users, including for active transportation. In addition, an INFRA grant from the US Department of Transportation will bring $18 million in new active transportation infrastructure to South LA in the project area, and is closely aligned with this project’s efforts. A celebration of the completion of these elements on 54th Street is scheduled for October 26th, 2024. See the events section for more details!

E. Rail-to-Rail First Mile-Last Mile

The future Rail-to-Rail Active Transportation Corridor and the Crenshaw/LAX Fairview Heights Station will provide important future connections. This first mile / last mile project will facilitate a safe and comfortable pedestrian and bicyclist experience with enhancements like wayfinding, improved signage, striping and other improvements within a one-half mile gap between the County’s first rails to trails project.

F. Community Outreach

In partnership with South Los Angeles Transit Empowerment Zone (SLATE-Z), CicLAvia, and Mobility Development Partners, community-based organizations will serve an advisory role to provide input into important decisions like charger/e-bike station siting, pilot participants and design. A Resident Advisory Committee (RAC) will be established to assist with team canvassing, pop-up events and information sessions. An important aspect of this project will be green job training for youth, community based organization constituents and RAC members. A document outlining the design and structure of the STEP RAC.

CicLAvia will facilitate three open street events in the STEP area to provide a platform for direct community outreach. Open street events will temporarily close streets to vehicular traffic and provide an opportunity for community members to walk, bike, skate, dance and play in the streets.

G. Workforce Development

Los Angeles Trade Technical College (LATTC) and LACI will provide targeted workforce training to prepare community members for employment in Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE), including e-bike and EV maintenance. LACI will conduct training for EV technicians and interns recruited from LATTC and other local schools, including a training class solely for women. Participants will receive training in technical areas and interpersonal skills, and industry-recognized certifications to succeed in the green economy.

As part of LATTC's UBM workforce development program, two cohorts of Youth Ambassadors at Nava High School in South LA took coursework on sustainable transportation. Watch story and meet the environmental heroes of the future!

H. Zero Emission Delivery

Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) is piloting zero-emissions delivery solutions in South Central Los Angeles. LACI is looking to partner with local businesses to offer innovative technologies, at no cost, to support adopting EVs.

PRICING

Participating in this pilot is completely free and comes at no cost for businesses. Businesses may pay to add-on services, if needed. (Example: purchasing rental insurance if businesses current coverage does not already cover. However, businesses do not have to cover the cost of the vehicle rental itself.)

TIMELINE

This pilot runs for two years and ends in December 2026. In the last quarter of the pilot, LACI will help all businesses develop a plan to continue using the offerings.

OFFERINGS

ELECTRIC DELIVERY VEHICLES

PENSKE E-CARGO VAN REIMBURSEMENT

The E-Transit Van is the electrified version of Ford’s popular Transit cargo van. The E-Transit has a range of approximately 108 miles per charge, and a maximum cargo capacity of 350 cubic feet. Through a partnership with Penske, this pilot is offering participating businesses reimbursements for the rental fees ($55/day and $275/week) for one E-Transit van from three participating Penske locations in the South LA area. Participants cover the costs of rental insurance and charging. Never used or driven an EV? Participants will receive free EV onboarding and an informative guide to charging in South LA.

See Delivery Technologies flyer for more information.

Questions? Interested in signing up? Email melanie@laincubator.org for more information.

The project will implement transportation safety and accessibility improvements along 51st St (Western Ave to Central Ave), 50th Pl (Vermont Ave to Hoover St), Hoover St (50th Pl to 51st St), and Budlong Ave (Vernon Ave to 60th St) in South Los Angeles. It will calm traffic, reduce the likelihood of traffic collisions, and enhance safety for people walking and bicycling. Proposed project features include: 38 speed humps, 26 bike boxes, and 5 leading pedestrian intervals to create a stress-free crossing point. Community members will be safely connected to destinations like schools, places of employment, transit, and to the network of existing and planned protected bike lanes, including the new Rail-to-Rail Active Transportation Corridor along Slauson Avenue. The speed humps have been installed as of June 2025, with overall project completion expected by the end of 2026.

Visit the website for more information on the Stress-Free Connections - South Los Angeles Project, or email stressfreeconnections@lacity.org.

It’s so easy to stay informed! Please fill out the form below to receive program updates and notifications when application periods begin, including when the Mobility Wallet application is open.

Email us if you have any other questions or comments about LADOT’s UBM pilot program.

July 12, 2024- Our Universal Basic Mobility program is getting more and more chargers installed in SouthLA! This week we broke ground on the chargers at Hyde Park Miriam Matthews library and we will break ground at Ascot library soon. In addition, 10 chargers at five parks have already been installed earlier this summer. 

We'll be adding up to 40 more chargers on streetlights around South LA - this is your chance to weigh in. Where would you like to see more chargers in South LA? You can fill out a survey in English or Espanol. 

Los Angeles, June 26, 2024

Hey Angelenos,                      
Metro and LADOT are pleased to announce the launch of the Mobility Wallet Phase 2 sign-ups, which began at the South LA CicLAvia event in June. This initiative aims to create an eligible pool of participants among low-income residents of LA County who meet Metro's LIFE eligibility criteria. The Mobility Wallet Phase II provides participants with $1,800 for 12 months to spend on a variety of shared transportations services, including:

• Metro Bus and Rail
• City Buses
• Metro Micro
• Bikeshare
• Metrolink
• E-scooters and Bikes
• Taxi Services
• Regional Transportation services (Greyhound, Amtrak, and FlixBus)
• Ride-hailing services (Uber/Lyft)
• Merchandise purchases at local bike shops

Participants will be selected at random from the applications received and will be contacted in early fall with details on how to receive their mobility wallet cards. We aim to enroll up to 2,000 participants from South LA and across LA County subject to State funding availability.

The application is now open and will remain open until August 31, 2024. Eligible individuals can sign up by visiting Metro Website. 

Funding for the program is provided by a STEP grant from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), a REAP 2.0 grant from SCAG, and $2 million investment from Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT). The Mobility Wallet Phase 2 is part of a larger $30 million Universal Basic Mobility (UBM) pilot project. The UBM pilot is being led by LADOT and supported by CARB as part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities.                       
For any questions, please contact mobilitywallet@metro.net.

Los Angeles, April 16, 2024 

Today, the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), in partnership with community organizations, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), and funding from California Air Resources Board (CARB), officially launched the first E-bike lending library pilot in South Central Los Angeles to expand access to sustainable transportation.

The lending library, entitled South Central Power Up is deploying 250 e-bikes, available to rent for a month at a time at 7 different locations in the community, to help riders get around more easily, reliably and affordably. This program is a result of over a year of collaboration, outreach, and organizing from the community organizations that will serve as hubs to rent e-bikes and provide training to all participants, including People for Mobility Justice, Ride On! Bike Shop, RideWitUs, SCOPE, T.R.U.S.T South LA, Esperanza Community Housing, Mercado La Paloma, Labor Community Strategy Center, and Community Services Unlimited.

South Central Power Up was created by the people of and with the people of South Central in mind, said the South Central Power Up community partners in a joint statement. The brand new, custom e-bikes for this program are first-in-class zero emission transportation resources for our community.

Speaking today at the launch event at the Ride On! Bike Shop/Co-Op in Leimert Park, local officials and leaders of the partnership expounded on the merits of this new, affordable program.

To build a green economy that is truly inclusive, we need to ensure that all communities in Greater Los Angeles have access to affordable, clean transportation. Ultimately, we are looking to surface and share learnings from this new, long-term e-bike pilot rental program that will help us scale similar programs and clean transportation solutions across the region. said Matt Petersen, LACI President and CEO. We are very excited to launch this pilot, which will meet an essential need for the community, making checking out a clean, reliable e-bike as simple as getting a book at the library.

E-bikes can support a wide range of personal transportation needs while reducing car trips, pollution, and overall congestion on streets, said LADOT General Manager Laura Rubio-Cornejo. The e-bike lending library will make this option affordable and accessible to residents of South LA. Thank you to LACI and our community partners who have made this program possible.

The initial pilot will run for two years with funding from CARB through California Climate Investments, which puts billions of dollars of Cap-and-Trade auction proceeds to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, improving public health and the environment, and providing meaningful benefits to the most disadvantaged communities and low-income communities and households. It will be free for users for the first six months while LACI and the community partners develop a pricing structure that ensures the bikes remain available for free and below market rates for individuals with qualifying incomes.  

Zero-emission options like e-bikes can be a fun way for people to discover environmentally friendly ways to get around, said CARB Chair Liane Randolph. The new e-bike lending library in South Los Angeles is also expanding mobility options for residents who need and deserve opportunities to carry out daily obligations such as work, school, errands and medical appointments. CARB is proud to support innovative programs that help clean our air, address mobility inequities and increase options for zero-emissions transportation.

For additional information about the South Central Power Up E-Bike Lending Library, please visit South Central Power Up website.

APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED (as of 1/23/24) for the Request for Information (RFI) for the Zero Emission Delivery (ZED) Pilot with the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI)

Please direct inquiries regarding this RFI to all contacts listed below:                 
● Mary Holing, VP Transportation Electrification, mary@laci.org                 
● Jennifer Zhao, Transportation Community Pilots Manager, jennifer@laci.org

First micromobility maintenance training of 2022 is a wrap!

On April 1st, new graduates of the 2022 LA Cleantech Incubator (LACI) micromobility maintenance training boot camp got to show off their new skills. Now that they have their certificates for repairing and maintaining micromobility vehicles like electric bikes and scooters, they've taken the first step towards landing a new, green job. This important component of LADOT’s Universal Basic Mobility (UBM) pilot - funded by the CARB STEP CCI program - provides green jobs training, internships and career coaching for residents of South LA and beyond. For more information, visit LACI website.