Transportation and education officials last week marked the expansion of OCTA’s student bus pass program to two more college campuses, allowing enrolled students to travel to school, work, or other destinations served by all 60 OC Bus fixed routes by showing their IDs or using the OC Bus Mobile App.
The program began last week at Golden West College in Huntington Beach and at Fullerton College. Officials gathered for an event marking the launch at Golden West on August 28 and will hold a similar event at Fullerton College next week.
OCTA’s successful student bus pass program began at Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon colleges in 2017 and has increased ridership, introduced new riders to public transit, and allowed more students to access to higher education.
So far, more than 2.28 million boardings have been recorded and more than 11,500 students have ridden the bus.
“This program is not only helping students discover how affordable and convenient public transportation can be, it is also helping them access education and achieve their dreams,” said OCTA Chairman Tim Shaw, also a La Habra Councilman.
Funding for the three-year pilot program at Golden West College is made possible through a partnership between OCTA and the college. The cost of the first year is funded through a state cap-and-trade fund grant awarded to OCTA and made available through the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP).
For the second and third years, the Associated Students of Golden West College will cover the cost, with no additional student fees.
“We know that many of our students struggle to get to and from our campus,” said Golden West College President Tim McGrath. “This partnership is proof of our commitment to increase access to Golden West College, for our students and the community we serve. It has already begun to pave a path to success for so many of our students.”
The typical cost to ride the OC Bus system is $2 per ride, $5 for a day pass, or $185 for a full-semester student bus pass. Students who ride the bus through OCTA’s student bus pass program see substantial savings over the course of the semester.