Santa Monica's "One Car Challenge" will pay residents not to drive
How about a new side hustle that pays you not to drive? Santa Monica is partnering with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority offering residents in multiple vehicle households to use only one car for five weeks.
Metro's "One Car Challenge" is a pilot program that starts in November and offers payments to 200 qualifying Santa Monica residents -- up to $119.80 each week, totaling up to $599 total per household.
The goal is to get people to change transportation habits; carpool, use public transit, walk, or bike instead of jumping in the car for local trips. The long-term goal is to reduce traffic.
Santa Monica residents who qualify must have two or more cars per household and be at least 21 years old.
The pilot program also offers those selected to participate a free TAP card with a $50 stored value and five to 10 free rides on Metro Bike Share.
The One Car Challenge is part of a larger $1.3-million LA Metro Travel Rewards Research Pilot Project funded by a grant from the Federal Transit Administration in partnership with Duke University's Center for Advanced Hindsight.
Metro says if the project is successful, they're hoping to roll it out to other areas of Los Angeles.
Sign up for the challenge by October 6, 2023 at lametro.trucash.com
