Howard County students can now access free digital bus passes on mobile devices
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Nov. 16—Passes that grant free county public bus access to Howard County middle, high school and community college students will now be available digitally.
On Tuesday, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball announced the bus pass program's digital expansion, in partnership with the Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland.
"Expanding access to public transportation is essential to our goal of increasing connectivity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and creating more pathways for economic opportunity in our community," Ball said in a news release.
More than 1,200 printed bus passes have been issued to students since the free RTA transit program began for middle and high school students in 2021, according to the news release. The program expanded to include Howard Community College students last year.
Students now can access free bus passes on their mobile devices using the Transit app (https://transitapp.com/). Those who do not have smartphones may still receive a free printed bus pass from their school administrative offices, according to the news release.
A school email address and credit or debit card information must be provided, although the card on file will not be charged for a free student pass, according to the RTA. Step-by-step instructions can be found at https://www.transitrta.com/hcpss-student-bus-pass-program/.
Howard County Public Schools Superintendent Michael Martirano said in a news release that the program will expand students' access to community services and aid their ability to get home from after-school and extracurricular activities. Many Howard County Public School System schools post RTA maps in school hallways, he added.
Howard Community College President Daria Willis called the program's digital expansion a game-changer. She said in the news release that the digital bus pass program will open up new opportunities for students.
"We are committed to providing the best possible educational experiences for our students," Willis said in the news release, "and this program is a major step in that direction."
