NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Hundreds of Nashville residents lined up at the Metropolitan Action Commission to sign up for the Journey Pass program. It is the city's first program of its kind that provides free bus rides for three years to people who qualify as part of the Choose How You Move initiative.
Darlene Thomas left with her Journey Pass in hand, describing the program simply as "freedom."
"It means freedom," Thomas said.
For Esmeralda Montiel, who was waiting for a bus to the food pantry, that freedom means she can actually make it to doctors appointments.
"I get to just to be able to do more with my daughter," Montiel said. "To some people, $6, $7 just to make it a Walmart and then another $6, $7 to make it back home is not a lot, but to us people like us that are affected by it, it means a lot. You know, every little bit helps, you know," Montiel said.
The program serves people who receive services through the Metro Action Commission, Metro Public Health, Metro Social Services and the Metro Development and Housing Agency. However, in the last few days WeGo recently expanded eligibility to include people receiving SNAP benefits in Davidson County.
Decarya Andrews said the program will save her family about $100 every month.
"I have an adult child, so I have to pay for both of us. So it saves us about 100 dollars every month," Andrews said. "I can't get in line. It's a little too long."
Andrews wasn't the only one to leave early, WeGo officials had to turn away some applicants due to incorrect documentation and others because of long lines.
In the coming days, people can bring an ID card to sign-up events for specific metro services, but anyone with SNAP benefits can bring proof of their current eligibility at any event.
For Montiel, the program opens up new possibilities for her and her daughter.
"Where do you want to go today? And like, Where do you want to go? We can go anywhere," Montiel said.
Here is more information about what to bring to qualify for a Journey Pass.
Registration Schedule:
Metropolitan Action Commission (MAC)
| Date | Time | Location |
| November 6 | 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | MAC Main Office |
| November 17 | 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | MAC Main Office |
Metro Public Health Department (MPHD)
| Date | Time | Location |
| November 12 | 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. | Lentz Public Health Center |
| November 20 | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Lentz Public Health Center |
| November 24 | 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. | Lentz Public Health Center |
Metro Social Services (MSS)
| Date | Time | Location |
| November 14 | 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Metro Social Services |
Community Activations (MDHA, MAC, MPHD)
| Date | Time | Location |
| November 13 | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Coleman Park Community Center |
| November 18 | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | East Park Community Center |
| November 20 | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Donelson Library |
Have you or someone you know struggled with transportation costs in Nashville? We want to hear your story about how programs like Journey Pass could impact your daily life. Share your experiences with reporter Kim Rafferty at kim.rafferty@NewsChannel5.com and watch the full video report to see more from residents who signed up for this groundbreaking program.
In this article, we used artificial intelligence to help us convert a video news report originally written by Kim Rafferty. When using this tool, both Kim and the NewsChannel 5 editorial team verified all the facts in the article to make sure it is fair and accurate before we published it. We care about your trust in us and where you get your news, and using this tool allows us to convert our news coverage into different formats so we can quickly reach you where you like to consume information. It also lets our journalists spend more time looking into your story ideas, listening to you and digging into the stories that matter.
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