The Los Angeles Department of Transportation's (LADOT) LAnow, an on-demand microtransit option, returned to service Nov. 1, serving the Del Rey, Venice, Mar Vista and Palms neighborhoods in the city of Los Angeles.
The service operates Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Riders can access the service by using the LAnow smartphone application. Adults and children over five years of age ride for $1.50 one-way, seniors ride for 75 cents and children under four years of age ride for free. To celebrate the return of LAnow, all trips are free during the month of November.
The LAnow service area includes Los Angeles City Council Districts 5 and 11, represented by Councilmember Mike Bonin of CD 11 and Councilmember Paul Koretz of CD 5, both of whom expressed their enthusiasm for the return of this service for their constituents.
“LAnow gives people in many Westside neighborhoods an alternative to being stuck in gridlock,” said Bonin. “I’m excited we are resuming this program for Mar Vista, Venice, Del Rey, Palms and parts of Playa Vista, and I'm thrilled to be able to introduce this innovative shuttle-hailing service with a month of free rides.”
"I was excited about the potential of this program when it was first launched several years ago," added Koretz. "I am most pleased now to see this relaunch which will again serve our constituents in the Palms and Westside Village neighborhoods of my district. This gives area residents another viable option for travel, especially those commuting via Metro's Expo E Line."
LAnow carried more than 10,000 riders prior to the suspension of service in March 2020 due the COVID-19 pandemic. During its break in service, LADOT upgraded its LAnow mobile application, which is needed for riders to book and pay for trips. The new application replaces the original LAnow application, and former riders should install the new application, either from Apple’s App Store or Google Play, prior to deleting the old LAnow application from their mobile devices. Former riders with balances on their old LAnow accounts will be able transfer those funds to their new accounts.
“LAnow makes it easier to get to more places more quickly, giving people back their time and easing their anxiety about getting around," said LADOT General Manager Seleta Reynolds. "We need many more services like LAnow that complement traditional public transit if we hope to recover equitably and sustainably from the pandemic.”
