Free Metrobus Program Expanded To More Fairfax County High Schools

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — A student bus pass program for free Metrobus use has expanded to additional Fairfax County high schools.

Fairfax County, City of Fairfax and Fairfax County Public Schools officials celebrated the Metrobus expansion of the free bus program Thursday at George C. Marshall High School. The program originally started by offering students at Fairfax County high schools and middle Schools free access to Fairfax Connector and City of Fairfax CUE buses. The free student bus pass program allows students to travel to and from after-school extracurricular activities, school jobs and internships, libraries, and other recreational activities.

But since some high schools are more easily accessible by Metrobus, the recent expansion adds free Metrobus access to students at certain high schools. Four years ago, free Metrobus passes were introduced at Justice High School. Now the program is expanded to students at Annandale High School, Falls Church High School, Marshall High School and the Davis Career Center.

Chairman Jeff McKay noted the free student bus pass program for Fairfax Connector and CUE started in 2015. McKay said during his time on the Metro board, he learned other localities were doing a free student bus pass program and thought Fairfax County could do the same. McKay and former Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins introduced a free bus pass from students.

"We knew we had Connector bus stops in front of many of our high schools already, and we knew that students were using transit even before we started this program," said McKay. "But to be able to do it free for our students accomplishes so many of our goals."

To date, over 2 million transit trips have been provided by the program, according to McKay. Since the Metrobus program started at Justice High School in 2018, students have taken over 100,000 trips.

Mercedes Argueta, a senior at Justice High School, is one of the students who has used the Metrobus program. She gets to work using the bus and also visits friends.

"This bus pass is also a good way to save money as a student," said Argueta. "With college and trying to save up for a car and things like that, I feel like it's a really smart way for students to find a way to save money for them. I feel like it's way more important to have a backup, and you also feel more independent and more responsible."

Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said she grew up using buses to get around since her mother did not drive. Palchik told students the bus is a good way to get around to school, work, the mall and other places around Northern Virginia.

"Some of your parents maybe haven't ridden a bus before, maybe they have," Palchik told students. "Some of you might be the ones telling your parents that it's a really good way to get around and a really safe way to get around."

Rachna Sizemore Heizer, the chair of the Fairfax County School Board, spotlighted how the program helps students at Davis Career Center, which serves students with disabilities with career and independent living education. Sizemore Heizer noted her son has a disability and could not drive. Not being able to drive or having access to a car could be a disadvantage for students who don't live within walking distance to school, Sizemore Heizer said.

"For many of our students who may not drive for a while or may not drive at all, this is vital," said Sizemore Heizer. "My son is a freshman in college and still can't drive. But because we spent the summer training how to use Metro and how to use the buses and he's now living in the city...he's able to get around to get what he needs. And because he's able to do it independently because he has the means, his self-confidence and self-esteem and desire to do more and to be independent and live independently has grown substantially."

The free student bus pass program provides a special SmarTrip card that provides free rides on Fairfax Connector or CUE between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily. For students at Justice High School, Annandale High School, Falls Church High School, Marshall High School and the Davis Career Center, that pass also includes free Metrobus access.

Students interested in the bus pass can visit their school’s administration office and will need a parent or guardian's permission.

In June, the Board of Supervisors approved a memorandum of understanding with Metro for the program. Metro will invoice Fairfax County on a quarterly basis in an amount equal to fare costs for the number of rides taken by students in the previous quarter, according to the memorandum of understanding.