Two complementary programs that offer free transit are encouraging bus ridership as students progress through their educational experiences in Orange County.
The Youth Ride Free program allows Orange County youth ages 6 to 18 to ride all OC Bus fixed-route service for free for travel to school, work or fun. New passes and parental request forms are required and are available from participating Orange County schools. This current Youth Ride Free pass will be valid until September 30, 2023.
The free pass allows youth to get to all their important destinations on safe, clean reliable buses while taking cars off the road and reducing pollution. OCTA was the first large transit agency in the region to offer free bus rides to all youth ages 6 to 18 on an ongoing basis.
For more information on Youth Ride Free, click here.
The College Pass, a shared-cost program that allows enrolled community-college students to travel free on any OC Bus fixed route, helps students access higher education, employment and recreational opportunities across Orange County. All nine Orange County community colleges participate.
At a recent event at Orange Coast College, OCTA spoke with more than 400 students about the free pass program and handed out flyers that explained how the program works. Many of the students were freshmen and said they had used the Youth Ride Free bus pass they received in high school and were excited about the College Pass Program to continue riding OC Bus free. For more information about the College Pass, click here.