In an effort to boost ridership of public transportation, the city of Tempe is reaching out to young residents through its youth transit program.
The Tempe City Council first approved the city’s Youth Transit Pass Program in 2001 to help the city “go green.”
“The purpose of this program is to get youth comfortable with public transit,” said Sue Taaffe, community outreach marketing coordinator for Tempe.
In its sixth year of serving young people in Tempe, the Youth Transit Pass Program allows people between the ages of six and 18 to ride the Metro buses and light rail for free.
Over the years, the program’s goal is to get kids in a good habit of riding public transportation to reduce emissions from automobiles. A goal, which they hope, will be passed down onto later generations.
Only residents of Tempe are eligible for this program.
ASU students who are still 18 years old and live on campus or in Tempe qualify for this program.
People who sign up for the program must have proof that they live in Tempe. Driver licenses, bills and current paperwork within the last 30 days are all accepted, Taaffe said.
Hopefully those youth will continue their transit habits as adults, she said.
Stephanie Williams, an 18-year-old art exploratory freshman, lives on campus in Palo Verde West and is a transit rider.
Because she lives so close to a bus and light rail station, she occasionally uses the buses but more frequently rides the light rail she said.
“I just heard that the light rail will be free for me now, although only for the next month,” said Williams, who turns 19 next month. “But still, I think its great they’re making it available for kids.”
ASU students who are over the age of 18 can purchase a U-Pass. The U-Pass offers unlimited access to the Valley Metro buses and light rail for $40 a semester or $80 for the academic year.
“I honestly think that all ASU students should be able to ride the light rail and buses for free,” Williams said. “We already spend so much money to attend ASU. Its just an extra convenience that would benefit a lot of students.”
In order to receive the pass, a registration form can be downloaded from the official Tempe Web site. Once the form is filled out, passes can be picked up at the Tempe Transit Store located at 200 East Fifth Street. Proof of Tempe residency must be in hand for those over 18. Parents and guardians must accompany minors with proof of parental status.
The passes are not just for school events. It’s OK to use them on weekends to go to museums and other social gatherings, Taaffe said.
There are roughly 4,500 people in the transit program right now she said.
“It’s great incentive for students to use the light rail and buses to get around campus and elsewhere,” Williams said.
Reach the reporter at mmbarke1@asu.edu
