Would you keep your car parked for over a month if it meant potentially earning hundreds of dollars? That’s exactly what LA Metro intends to offer as part of an upcoming program across Los Angeles County.
The One Car Challenge is a county-wide initiative that is meant to reward residents for using public transit or other transportation options, while giving LA Metro some useful data.
Roughly 2,000 households will be chosen to participate in the One Car Challenge, with a potential maximum payout of $600. The program is limited to Los Angeles County residents who are 21 years of age or older, and who live in a household with one or more cars.
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For five weeks, that household will be tasked with keeping at least one car parked at home for five weeks while the members of the household instead utilize public transit, bike share, carpooling or just simply walking from place to place.
Chosen participants will use a dedicated app to confirm the mileage logged on the vehicle’s odometer to ensure that it stays parked with minimal usage.
“If the idea of getting paid to skip the car — even for a few weeks — sounds good to you, this is your chance. LA’s roads (and your wallet) will thank you,” officials write in a post on The Source, the official LA Metro blog.
Why does LA Metro want to pay you for parking your car?
Officials say that the One Car Challenge will help LA Metro obtain conduct critical research to improve its system, policies and programs.
Previous studies have shown that incentivizing people to use public transit or other transport methods is an effective tool get someone to change their mindset and try something new.
One of those studies was conducted by LA Metro itself. In the fall of 2023, the initial One Car Challenge was launched through a partnership with the City of Santa Monica.
In the first iteration, 300 multi-car households were offered up to $599 for five weeks, as well as a $50 TAP card and free access to local bike share programs, if they kept one of their vehicles parked.
Participants in that pilot program tracked their weekly odometer readings themselves and reported the results.
“The pilot showed a significant shift away from solo car trips, with more people walking, and riding bikes and scooters,” Metro officials said. “We learned a lot — and we’re ready to go bigger.”
Now expanding to 2,000 households and including the entirety of Los Angeles County, including neighborhoods that have significantly fewer public transit options compared to the relatively walkable Santa Monica.
The second version of the One Car Challenge will provide a whole new set of data, and a deeper understanding of what challenges Angelenos face when they are forced to find alternate means of transportation.
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The information is expected to be particularly useful ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, which city and county officials are promoting as a “car-free” event.
“L.A. needs real, tested strategies to manage traffic and get people moving sustainably. The One Car Challenge is part of that preparation,” officials said.
The One Car Challenge is funded through a grant from the Southern California Association of Governments, and will be tracked through the GoCarma mobile app. Chosen participants will take part in an onboarding session before the program begins.
Pre-registration online is available now, and the program is expected to take place for a five-week period some time between the months of August and November.
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