Culver City Observer -

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) will host a live interactive telephone town hall meeting from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 31, to discuss Metro’s Fareless System Initiative.

Metro is currently in the process of looking at how the agency could eliminate fares on Metro operated buses and trains for some riders. The Fareless System Initiative study is exploring a pilot program that would provide free rides for low-income riders starting in January 2022 and for K-12 students beginning in August 2022. The pilot would conclude in June 2023. Metro invites the public to learn more about this concept and provide feedback.

For the meeting, 100,000 residents across Los Angeles County will be contacted randomly through an innovative automated telephone system and invited to participate in the public forum from the comfort of their own homes. When residents answer their phones, they will be connected to the English-language meeting automatically with the option for Spanish-language participants to select Spanish.

In addition to English and Spanish, Metro will be offering live translation in six other languages for those who sign up in advance. Anyone who wants to participate in Armenian, Chinese Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Russian, or Vietnamese can register to receive a call in their selected language when the event begins. When they answer their phones, they will be connected to the meeting automatically in the language they signed up for.

The Telephone Town Hall will also include an option for participants to provide input through real-time polls in their designated language.

Participation and sign-up details are as follows:

• English: On the day of the meeting, the toll-free call-in number is 888-400-1932

• Armenian: Please register at https://tthm.wufoo.com/forms/metro-armenian/

• Chinese Mandarin: Please register at https://tthm.wufoo.com/forms/metro-mandarin/

• Japanese: Please register at https://tthm.wufoo.com/forms/metro-japanese/

• Korean: Please register at https://tthm.wufoo.com/forms/metro-korean/

• Russian: Please register at https://tthm.wufoo.com/forms/metro-russian/

• Spanish: On the day of the meeting, the toll-free call-in number is 888-400-9342 or please register at https://tthm.wufoo.com/forms/metro-spanish/

• Vietnamese: Please register at https://tthm.wufoo.com/forms/metro-vietnamese/

There are several other ways to participate in the interactive town hall:

• Participants can also sign up for the meeting in advance and receive an email reminder by visiting http://tthm.wufoo.com/forms/metro-telephone-town-hall-signup/

• Those who want to participate through their computers can do so through https://janus.teletownhall.us/?id=Metro&eid=72164

ADA Language Accommodation: If you require an interpreter or other accommodations, please contact Metro at least 72 hours prior to the telephone town hall meeting date at 323-466-3876 or California Relay Service at 711.

For more information about the Fareless System Initiative, visit https://www.metro.net/projects/main_page/fareless-system-initiative/.