New OCTA program to offer free bus rides for Orange County youth

Orange County Transportation Authority Board of Directors approved a six-month promotional program offering free bus rides for all OC youths beginning in September 2021.

The bus pass program, The Youth Ride Free pass, allows passengers ages 18 and under to ride any OCTA fixed-route bus in Orange County for free during the six-month program. The typical cost to ride the OC Bus system is $2 per ride or $5 for a day pass.

Originally intended for youth up to 13 years old, OCTA board members expanded the pass to reach high-school-age teens, according to an OCTA press release. The pass program is scheduled to begin in September and run through the end of February 2022, at which point the program will be reevaluated.

The pass, which will be available by request from parents, will be a physical pass with a magnetic stripe. OCTA will work to distribute the pass in partnership with local K-12 schools, as well as at the OCTA store and online.

To learn more, please visit OCbus.com.