Unlocking Opportunities with the Free Youth Pass: A Game Changer for the Next Generation

Free Youth Pass Victory Pt. 1

By the 2025 Genesis MICAH intern

Free Youth Transit Passes to Expand Across Alameda County

On June 30, 2024, Genesis attended the annual evaluation meeting for the Student Transit Pass Program (STPP), a key initiative to increase youths' access to public transportation in Alameda County. This meeting highlighted new data and milestones from the 2023–2024 school year, including the expansion of the program to 3 new districts and 19 additional schools. Over 33,000 students from 160+ schools received free Clipper cards, helping them access education, jobs, and after-school programs. This aligns directly with Genesis’ Equity in Transportation Campaign, which ensures youth and working families can move through their cities affordably and reliably.

While the increase in participation from 44% to 53% is a lot, we must ask: why are participation rates still unequal across districts? How can we ensure the site administrators and schools in lower-income or underrepresented communities are equally engaged? If transit ridership still hasn’t recovered to pre-pandemic levels, what more can we do to ensure students are included? How can we make funding for this program continue so we can continue to invest in the next generation of transit riders?

Alameda CTC Student Transit Pass Program Update: The slide presents program costs for the 2023-2024 period, detailing boardings and costs across AC Transit, LAVTA/Wheels, and Union City Transit.

Here’s how you can support:

Stay tuned for updates as we work to ensure equitable access to transportation for all students in Alameda County.

If you want to help advocate for stronger youth transit programs or ensure your school is part of the expansion, email gamaliel.genesisca@gmail.com to get involved!