LAist spoke with Madeline Brozen about her analysis of Mobility Wallet, a program in which low-income Los Angeles County residents receive prepaid debit cards to help cover transportation costs. Brozen, deputy director of the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, said she and fellow researchers found significantly reduced stress among participants. When buses run late or don’t show up, participants now have transportation alternatives, including rideshare services that were formerly too expensive. “Giving people access to a range of options seems to be really beneficial,” Brozen said. Lack of transportation access can significantly limit people’s opportunities to participate in outings with friends and family. Brozen cited a Mobility Wallet participant who used his card to take his child to Disneyland after his car broke down. “That’s gonna be a lifelong memory for this kid that was only possible because this person had financial support for transportation.”