Thanks to LA Metro’s Mobility Wallet pilot program, basic mobility is now a reality for thousands of Los Angeles residents. 

Launched in May 2023 as part of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation’s Universal Basic Mobility initiatives, Mobility Wallet offers a stipend to low-income residents for a variety of transportation needs, including Uber rides. 

As the largest mobility wallet initiative in the United States, the program aims to promote transportation access, encourage equity, and improve quality of life for Angelenos. Let’s find out how it’s been going. 

Transforming lives, transporting Angelenos

In Phase I of Metro’s Mobility Wallet (May 2023 to April 2024), 1,000 low-income residents of South Los Angeles received a monthly $150 transportation stipend on a prepaid card. This stipend covered a range of shared transportation services, such as Metro Bus and Rail, e-scooters and bikes, regional transport options like Amtrak and Greyhound, and Uber rides.

As reported by Mass Transit, an initial survey showed that 80% of Mobility Wallet participants were on financial assistance programs, more than 60% frequently rode public transit, 50% did not have a driver’s license, and 40% lived in a household without a car. 

Over the 12-month pilot phase, participants said they saw a significant improvement in their quality of life. According to UCLA’s Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, Mobility Wallet users were able to redirect funds usually spent on transportation to cover everyday essentials and plan for the future. They caught up on bills, bought school supplies, attended more social and family events, and even started contributing to savings accounts—some for the first time. 

Most importantly, participants reported reduced financial stress and improved mental health. 

"They used their wallets to participate in more social activities, take kids or families on outings, visit family members, and connect with others for celebrations.… [W]ith the wallet, participants could now supplement their regular modes of travel—transit and walking—with ride-hailing to reach these places." — UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies

Flexibility meets freedom

One of the biggest wins? Expanding access to flexible, on-demand rides. 

During Phase I, Mobility Wallet participants took more than 7,600 Uber rides to connect to fixed transit routes, get to appointments, and return home stress-free late at night after social occasions or graveyard shifts at work. 

“[I had] the ability to just be able to get up and go if that’s what I choose to do,” a participant shared. “I wasn’t limited to where and what I could do.”

フェーズIの成功を踏まえて

Phase II began in Fall 2024 and expanded to 2,000 eligible participants across LA County. Each participant received up to $1,800 over 12 months to spend on shared transportation, ensuring wider access to transit throughout Los Angeles. As part of this program, participants were also issued Uber vouchers.

Uber is proud to support Los Angeles on its path toward universal basic mobility. We’re looking forward to seeing the results of Phase II.