The Problem:
Kids Can't Get to School
Every child deserves access to education. But most low-income
children in the East Bay don't have a yellow school bus to
school. As a result, students who cannot afford their own
transportation lose out on educational opportunities. In
addition, car trips to and from school are a major contributor
to traffic congestion and air pollution in many areas. And
school districts' budgets suffer when absenteeism reduces their
state funding.
During recent public meetings on the Bay Area's 2001 Regional
Transportation Plan (RTP), many people asked for greater
attention to the issue of affordability and social justice in
transportation policy. Thus far, none of the projects proposed
for the RTP deal specifically with the issue of transit
affordability.
The Proposal:
Free Bus Passes
for Low-Income Students
A proposed free bus pass program would address these problems,
providing local bus passes to low-income students and students
with disabilities. A proposed pilot project has drawn
wide-ranging support from over 70 community groups, school
districts, government agencies, and many elected officials.
These supporters want to make sure that children do not have to
forfeit their right to an education simply because their family
budgets cannot provide bus fare throughout an entire month.
School districts, squeezed on all sides for funds, have to
choose between providing transportation or providing books and
teacher salaries. Poor students have to choose between buying
lunch and paying for bus fare.
As a society, we cannot afford to leave these students stranded
- the cost of these passes is greatly outweighed by the benefits
to students, school district funding, and air quality. We urge
the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to take an
important first step toward transportation justice by helping
poor schoolchildren exercise their basic right to education.
Success!
AC Transit
adopted the Free Youth Bus Pass Program:
From the
AC Transit website
Beginning August 1, 2002, AC Transit is offering free local
service to all qualified low-income youth
attending middle and high schools throughout our district. When
students qualify, the school district
issues a sticker, identical to an Annual Youth Pass that is
placed on a current student ID card.
The pass is good for 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, for one
year of transportation on all East
Bay AC Transit buses.
*
To participate, families must apply through a local school
district.
*
For contact
information, refer to the list below.
*
For more questions, send email to AC Transit or call (510)
891-7287.
*
Click here for a Youth Pass application
Please note that if your school district has modified this
form, you must
complete and submit the application they have provided.
*
In the list
below, please note that ACOE is different than the Alameda
Unified
School District and that the Oakland Military Institute is
separate from the
Oakland Unified School District.
|
School
District |
Phone
Number |
Contact
Name/Dept. |
|
Alameda
County Office of Education (ACOE) |
510-670-4252 |
Dolores
Ragusa |
|
Alameda
Unified |
510-337-7060 |
Superintendent's Office |
|
Albany
Unified |
510-558-3766 |
Superintendent's Office |
|
Berkeley
Unified |
510-644-6257 |
Jennifer
Vital |
|
Castro
Valley Unified |
510-537-3000
x 1210 |
Superintendent's Office |
|
Emery
Unified |
510-655-6936
x 47 |
Marian
Harrell |
|
Hayward
Unified |
510-784-2600 |
Public
Information Office |
|
New Haven
Unified |
510-471-1100
x 2310 |
Maureen Hart |
|
Newark |
Contact
your local school |
|
Oakland
Military Institute |
510-267-3946 |
Sonia Noble |
|
Oakland
Unified |
510-879-8582 |
Public
Information Office |
|
Piedmont
Unified |
510-594-2613 |
Superintendent's Office |
|
San Leandro
Unified |
510-895-4199 |
Superintendent's Office |
|
San Lorenzo
Unified |
Contact
your local school |
|
West Contra
Costa Unified |
510-620-2245 |
Public
Information Office |
Last updated: 10/31/01 |
