Whether it’s going with friends, grabbing lunch from a restaurant, or driving to the mall for an afternoon, transportation has no doubt become one the most important parts in students’ daily lives. However, with the rise in gas prices and permit/license limitations, it feels so much more difficult to have the freedom of travel without any burden.
A solution to this issue is more accessible than what most would think is: the Student Bus Pass. The bus pass is a free physical item that is given to students who apply for it at the Student Services Center and it allows students to have the opportunity to use METRO buses for free to go almost anywhere in the Fairfax Connector and the City of Fairfax CUE bus systems. Bus passes are only meant for students, and allow them to skip the generally bus fare prices that can range from $0.50-$5.00.
The bus pass is helpful for students as it allows them to skip paying gas prices, and it gives students the opportunity to go wherever they want for free.
Students can go to the school office and talk to the Systems of Support Advisor Maggie Gibeu for an application. After getting a signature on a form from a student and their guardian, students will be able to receive a unique bus pass for them- selves.
With how easy it is to access it, it’s definitely recommended for students to try and get a bus pass for themselves.
These routes can range from having stops in Vienna to Mount Vernon to even Downtown D.C, meaning most students in Fairfax County could have access to go anywhere they need in the Northern Virginia area.
Gutierrez believes that the bus pass is essential for students who don’t have easy access to transportation at home.
“It’s helpful for me because I personally do not have a car, and sometimes I don’t have anybody to take me to places where I need to get to,” Gutierrez said. “Or for people who have jobs and don’t have a car or transportation to get there, it’s a nice way for students to have the ability to get places where they need to go free.”
It’s valid from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. for all seven days of the week. The card also has basic terms and conditions such as not bending it or misusing it. The card may also be monitored and it’s active until a student graduates or if it’s confiscated.
The pass was first introduced in 2015, and has been upgraded to be more accessible in 2018. In 2022, the bus pass was expanded to AHS. In four years after release, there were around 1.4 million student bus trips recorded, avaliable to both middle school and high school students. The bus pass was upgraded after a Justice High School survey stated that 62% of students would not ride a Metrobus unless it was free to use.
Along with that, the bus pass is very beneficial for student accessibility, as anyone can get it– freshmen and seniors alike.
“I think the benefits are that you don’t have to pay anything for it and the school [FCPS] takes care of it.” Gutierrez said.
Even if a student doesn’t need a bus pass, it could still be something helpful to have in cases of emergencies. If a car breaks down, or a student doesn’t have a ride home, they can use the pass to make it back safe and sound.
“Definitely go get a bus pass. Because sometimes you just need to have something with you in order to be safe,” Gutierrez said. “What if you have an emergency? Or if you want to go somewhere and you don’t know how to get there, then you can just use your bus pass.”