Albany students can get free, discounted AC Transit rides
AUSD does not operate a traditional school bus fleet. Here’s how students can apply for transit benefits.
Albany students who use public transit to get to school, work or after-school activities may be eligible for free or discounted AC Transit fares.
The program is available to Albany middle and high school students through the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District’s student transit pass program. Classes begin Wednesday, Aug. 12, and Albany Unified does not operate a traditional school bus fleet.
Students whose families meet the income eligibility guidelines for free or reduced-price school meals can apply for a free student transit pass. The pass can be used to travel to school, after-school activities and job locations throughout Alameda County.
Students who do not qualify for a free pass can apply for a Youth Clipper card, which provides a 50% discount on transit fares for riders ages 5 to 18.
Students at Albany High School and Albany Middle School can use the pass on regular AC Transit routes serving the schools, including lines 18, 27, 72, 72M and 72L. Students enrolled at MacGregor High School, AUSD’s continuation high school, are also eligible for free or discounted transit benefits.
Albany AC Transit student benefits: How to apply
Families can apply for student transit benefits online or through their school site. Once an application is approved, the pass is distributed through school site administrators.
Students who are approved for the free transit program can continue receiving the benefit through high school graduation as long as they remain eligible.
Families can also use AC Transit’s Trip Planner, an interactive commuter tool, to help students plan routes to school and other destinations.
Program funded through Measure BB
The student transit pass program is funded in part through Measure BB, Alameda County’s voter-approved transportation sales tax.
In 2016, the Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC) dedicated $15 million in Measure BB funds to the Student Transit Pass Pilot program to assess student transportation needs. The pilot initially launched at five high schools and four middle schools in the East Bay.
The program expanded over the following years. During the 2023-24 school year, its fifth year, the program covered 149 schools across 18 Alameda County school districts.
The five-year expansion was funded with the remaining Measure BB funds from the original $15 million pilot allocation, along with State Transit Assistance County Block Grant funding. The total estimated cost of the expansion was $41 million.
Today, all eligible school districts and charter schools in Alameda County are covered by the program.
"Every student deserves reliable transportation to get to school, jobs, and the opportunities that help them succeed," Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert said in a statement. "This partnership between Alameda CTC and local transit agencies is a great example of what we can accomplish when we work together, and it’s made possible in large part by Measure BB, the voter-approved transportation sales tax that continues to expand access and opportunity for everyone in Alameda County."
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