AVTA to Assist Furloughed Federal Employees with Free Bus Rides

The Antelope Valley Transit Authority, under the direction of the Board of Directors, will begin offering free bus rides to furloughed federal employees to offer assistance during the duration of the partial government shutdown. The Board voted unanimously to offer the rides, which will go into effect immediately, at Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Board of Directors. 

“With the number of Antelope Valley residents who are federal employees commuting down to jobs in the Los Angeles basin, as well as those working within our local aerospace community, it is important for us to do whatever we can to support these employees,” said AVTA Board Chair Marvin Crist. “Many of them are working without pay, and it is a privilege to offer them our assistance.” 

The free bus rides are provided on all of AVTA’s bus routes, including the local transit routes in the Antelope Valley, the AVTA commuter routes, which service stops in downtown Los Angeles, West Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley and Edwards Air Force Base, and the North County TRANSporter to Santa Clarita. To take advantage of this assistance, federal employees will show valid federal employment identification upon boarding any AVTA bus. AVTA is also offering a complimentary 31-day bus pass on local transit routes to these employees, who must come in to AVTA headquarters in Lancaster to obtain it. 

“We realize that many federal employees are struggling financially during this period,” said AVTA CEO Macy Neshati. “We are so grateful to our Board of Directors for allowing us to help ease their burden and provide a viable transportation option to get them through this difficult time.” 

AVTA provides local, commuter and dial-a-ride service to a population of more than 450,000 residents in the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale as well as the unincorporated portions of northern Los Angeles County. Its total service area covers 1,200 square miles and it is bounded by the Kern County line to the north, the San Bernardino County line to the east, the Angeles National Forest to the south, and Interstate 5 to the West.