Children can ride on Metrobuses for free in Prince George’s County starting August 20, Metro officials decided yesterday.
The transit agency’s board of directors approved the “Kids Ride Free” program, for the 107 bus routes in the county between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays. The program was designed to help students get to their after-school activities.
“I feel that it’s great. It was much needed,” said Renford Freemantle, 18, a senior at High Point High School in Beltsville who has lobbied for the program. “I’m looking at the students who can’t afford a vehicle yet, and the freshmen or sophomores.”
Students from High Point testified before the county council in January that some of their peers spend about $215 a year commuting to school using public transportation. Fares cost 75 cents per ride on the county transit. Metrobus fare costs $1.25.
Transit authority board members said they hope the program, which starts on the first day of classes in county schools, will alleviate road congestion and encourage teenagers to use public transportation at an early age.
“It’s a win-win for everybody,” said Metro board Chairman Elizabeth M. Hewlett, who represents Prince George’s County. “It will foster and promote ridership amongst kids … it sure helps out parents an awful lot.”
Prince George’s County will pay the transit authority $300,000 for the service through the next school year based on an estimated 550 trips by students each day.
Students must show their public or private school-issued photo ID when boarding a bus.
Prince George’s County schools will continue to operate its yellow bus fleet, which transports nearly 100,000 students to and from schools each day, spokeswoman Tanzi West said.
Four years ago, Montgomery County expanded a similar program that allowed students to ride free on most of its Ride On and Metrobus routes.
“Anecdotally we’ve heard it is successful,” said Howard Benn, a Ride On section chief. He said buses that used to have five children riding to and from soccer or swim practice now have 25.
“It’s a good method of travel training, and it helps generate our market of future transit riders,” Mr. Benn said.
About 12 percent of the 148,000 commuters on Montgomery County buses each day are students, he said.
The program operates only in the afternoons because morning rush hour buses typically carry more passengers.
D.C. public school students can ride Metrobuses for a half-price rate of 62.5 cents per ride. The city’s public schools run a bus system only for special-needs students.
Arlington County transit offers middle- and high-school students a half-price rate of 60 cents per ride. Students in Alexandria and Fairfax Counties must pay a full price fare of $1 to ride public transportation.
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