Student Transit Pass Program

Student Transit Pass Program 2022-2023 school year banner

Important STPP Updates
If you need to replace your broken/lost STPP Youth Clipper card, please follow these steps:
  • For students enrolled in AC Transit and Union City Transit-served districts, you can replace your lost/stolen/broken STPP Youth Clipper card by phone or online. Visit www.clippercard.com or call Clipper Customer Service at (877) 878-8883. Clipper Customer Service is available Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Make sure to mention to the Clipper Customer Service representative that your Clipper card is a Student Transit Pass.
  • For students enrolled in LAVTA/Wheels-served districts, please fill out the online application for your school (linked below). In response to the question, “Does the student have an existing Youth Clipper card?”, select “No, the student enrolled in the STPP program previously and needs a replacement card.” Note: You can follow this process to replace cards without cash fare media. If your lost card had cash fare media on it, you will need to call Clipper Customer Service at (877) 878-8883 to replace your card.
Use the School District dropdown menu to find your school’s application!
Means-based program: All low-income students grades 6-12 at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card. Low-income students qualify for the program if they are eligible for free or reduced-price meals – you can find the income eligibility guidelines for this program on California Department of Education's website.  
Means-based program: All low-income students grades 6-12 at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card. Low-income students qualify for the program if they are eligible for free or reduced-price meals – you can find the income eligibility guidelines for this program on California Department of Education's website.
Means-based program: All low-income students grades 6-12 at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card. Low-income students qualify for the program if they are eligible for free or reduced-price meals – you can find the income eligibility guidelines for this program on California Department of Education's website.
Means-based program: All low-income students grades 6-12 at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card. Low-income students qualify for the program if they are eligible for free or reduced-price meals – you can find the income eligibility guidelines for this program on California Department of Education's website.
Means-based program: All low-income students grades 6-12 at the following schools have access to a free LAVTA Wheels bus pass on a youth Clipper Card. Low-income students qualify for the program if they are eligible for free or reduced-price meals – you can find the income eligibility guidelines for this program on California Department of Education's website.
Free and universal program: All students grades 6-12 at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card.
Means-based program: All low-income students grades 6-12 at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card. Low-income students qualify for the program if they are eligible for free or reduced-price meals – you can find the income eligibility guidelines for this program on California Department of Education's website.
Means-based program: All low-income students grades 6-12 at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card. Low-income students qualify for the program if they are eligible for free or reduced-price meals – you can find the income eligibility guidelines for this program on California Department of Education's website.
Means-based program: All low-income students grades 6-12 at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit and Union City Transit bus pass on a Clipper card. Low-income students qualify for the program if they are eligible for free or reduced-price meals – you can find the income eligibility guidelines for this program on California Department of Education's website.
Means-based program: All low-income students grades 6-12 at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card. Low-income students qualify for the program if they are eligible for free or reduced-price meals – you can find the income eligibility guidelines for this program on California Department of Education's website.
Free and universal program: All students grades 6-12 at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card.
Means-based program: All low-income students grades 6-12 at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card. Low-income students qualify for the program if they are eligible for free or reduced-price meals – you can find the income eligibility guidelines for this program on California Department of Education's website.
Means-based program: All low-income students grades 6-12 at the following schools have access to a free LAVTA Wheels bus pass on a youth Clipper Card. Low-income students qualify for the program if they are eligible for free or reduced-price meals – you can find the income eligibility guidelines for this program on California Department of Education's website.
Means-based program: All low-income students grades 6-12 at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card. Low-income students qualify for the program if they are eligible for free or reduced-price meals – you can find the income eligibility guidelines for this program on California Department of Education's website.
Means-based program: All low-income students grades 6-12 at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card. Low-income students qualify for the program if they are eligible for free or reduced-price meals – you can find the income eligibility guidelines for this program on California Department of Education's website.  
Free and universal program: All students grades 6-12 at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card.
Student Resources
students sign up for program
banner for the student transit pass pilot
About
The Student Transit Pass Program (STPP) provides free youth Clipper cards to eligible middle and high school students in Alameda County which can be used for unlimited free bus rides in their area (on AC Transit, Union City Transit or LAVTA Wheels), as well as a 50 percent discount on BART trips and youth discounts on other transit systems. Alameda CTC is responsible for the implementation of the STPP in Alameda County. The program makes it easier to travel to and from school and school-related programs, jobs and other activities, expanding transportation options for Alameda County’s middle and high school students.

The Commission-adopted goals of the STPP are to:
  • Reduce barriers to transportation access to and from schools
  • Improve transportation options for Alameda County's middle and high school students
  • Build support for transit in Alameda County
  • Implement a cost effective program
Participating Schools
See the Student Transit Pass Program Participating Schools Map, an interactive tool to locate participating schools, BART routes, BART stations and bus routes. The schools participating during the 2023-2024 school year can also be found on the next tab, Students Apply Here. The STPP is undergoing a phased expansion to all qualifying middle and high schools in Alameda County with bus service over the next two years. The expansion seeks to balance geographic equity across planning areas in the county. In the 2023-2024 school year, the STPP will have expanded to many middle and high schools with bus service in the following districts:
  • Alameda County Office of Education (ACOE)
  • Alameda Unified School District (AUSD)
  • Albany City Unified School District (AlbanyUSD)
  • Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD)
  • Castro Valley Unified School District (CVUSD)
  • Dublin Unified School District (DUSD)
  • Emery Unified School District (Emery USD)
  • Fremont Unified School District (FUSD)
  • Hayward Unified School District (HUSD)
  • Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD)
  • New Haven Unified School District (NHUSD)
  • Newark Unified School District (NUSD)
  • Oakland Unified School District (OUSD)
  • Piedmont Unified School District (PiedmontUSD)
  • Pleasanton Unified School District (PUSD)
  • San Leandro Unified School District (SLUSD)
  • San Lorenzo Unified School District (SLZUSD)
Click on the frequently asked questions below for more information
The Student Transit Pass Program (STPP) provides free youth Clipper cards to eligible middle and high school students which can be used for unlimited free bus rides on AC Transit, as well as a 50% discount on BART trips and youth discounts on other transit systems. The Pass makes it easier for students to travel to and from school and school-related programs, jobs, and other activities.
The pass is free and allows students to travel free of charge on the AC Transit, LAVTA/Wheels, and Union City Transit systems and provides a 50% discount on BART until you turn 19 years old.
To be eligible for the program, a student must be a full-time student enrolled in a participating school district. The list of participating schools can be found at www.alamedactc.org/programs-projects/student pass/. To receive a pass, please complete the online application posted on the website, including a parent or guardian signature.
Yes, you can add cash value to the card to help pay for BART and other transit services. The Clipper card you receive is reloadable; you can add value online at www.clippercard.com, over the phone (877-878-8883), in person at participating retailers, transit agency ticket machines, Clipper Customer Service Centers, and Clipper Add Value machines. A list of locations can be found on the Clipper card webpage.
When you receive your Pass, create an online profile at www.clippercard.com. This will make it much easier to load cash value and request replacements if your card is either lost or stolen! As soon as you board the bus, tap your Clipper Card on the card reader near the door. On BART, tap your Pass at the fare gates as you enter the station. Note: You might have to tap the Clipper card a few times on the card reader if it is the first time you are using the card.
Yes. Your physical Clipper Card can be transferred to your phone through Apple Wallet or Google Pay. Note that once you transfer your physical card to your phone, your physical card will be deactivated for transit use. Please visit https://www.clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/pay-with-phone for directions on how to use Clipper on your phone (refer to the instructions under “Transfer an existing card”).
No. Your Student Transit Pass is registered to you. If your Pass is used by someone else, and has not been reported as lost or stolen, you may lose the privilege to participate in this program and may not be allowed to receive a replacement Student Transit Pass.
For students enrolled in AC Transit and Union City Transit-served school districts, you can replace a pass online or by phone. Visit www.clippercard.com or call Clipper Customer Service at 877-878-8883. Clipper customer service is open Monday – Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please make sure to tell the customer service representative that your Clipper card is a “Student Transit Pass.” It is helpful to have the serial number of your lost card on hand, but it is not required to replace your card. Your replacement card will be sent to your house (to the address you put on your application), not to your school. 

For students enrolled in LAVTA/Wheels-served school districts, you can replace a pass online or by contacting your school administrator. If you prefer to replace the pass online, visit www.alamedactc.org/programs-projects/student pass/ and fill out the online application for your school. In response to the question, “Does the student have an existing Youth Clipper card?”, select “No, the student enrolled in the STPP program previously and needs a replacement card.” Your replacement card will be sent to you school.
The Student Transit Pass is valid through your high school graduation date as long as you continue to be enrolled in a participating Alameda County school and under age 19. For a full list of Alameda County schools currently participating, please refer to www.alamedactc.org/program-projects/studentpass/.
Your school’s administrators in the front office can help answer any of your questions. You can also send feedback to contact@alamedactc.org.
Market the Student Transit Pass Program (STPP)
The STPP allows eligible students to travel to and from school, jobs, and other activities for free on their local transit system (AC Transit, Union City Transit, and/or LAVTA). As the program’s site administrator, we encourage you to promote the program to students and families. This page provides marketing materials to reach students and their families, including digital graphics and scripts for robo-calls or text messaging. Thank you for helping us promote the STPP!

Marketing Graphics
We recommend using digital graphics to promote the STPP on social media, Peachjar, and your school website. Click the below links to download the digital graphics. We invite you to add captions and additional information to the graphics. Recommended Caption for Social Media posts: “You could be eligible for a free transit pass. To learn more and apply go to bit.ly/studenttransitpass and if you have any questions, talk to your school office administrators!” How-To Guides

Phone-based Marketing through Voice and Text Messaging
We also recommend sending voice recordings and text message reminders to families. Below is sample text; we invite you to revise the language based on what is best for your school community.

Voice Recording “Free Student Transit Pass youth Clipper cards are available to eligible students at [School Name]. Student Transit Passes offer unlimited rides on [your local transit agency] and cash value can be added to cards for fifty percent off BART fares and discounted rides on other local transit systems. For more information on applying, please visit B-I-T dot L-Y backslash student transit pass.”

Text Messaging Qualifying students at [School Name] can receive free Student Transit Pass youth Clipper cards, unlimited rides with [your local transit agency], and can add cash value to cards for fifty percent off BART fares and discounted rides on other local transit systems.

For more information on applying, please visit bit.ly/studenttransitpass

How to Support Your Students
Check out the Students Apply Here tab for information on how students can apply online, answers to common student questions, and more information on general STPP updates.
Background
Alameda CTC was responsible for the development, implementation and evaluation of a three-year Student Transit Pass Pilot Program (Pilot) in Alameda County. This was identified in the voter-approved 2014 Transportation Expenditure Plan (2014 Plan) and is funded by Measure BB. The 2014 Plan included $15 million “for the purposes of funding one or more models for a student transit pass program designed to account for geographic difference within the county.” This Pilot provided a vital opportunity to assess student transportation needs throughout the county and to develop an approach to meet those needs through implementation of an affordable pass program. The Pilot proved effective at making it easier for students to travel to and from school and school-related programs, jobs and other activities, and expanded transportation options for Alameda County’s middle and high school students. The Commission-adopted goals of the Pilot were:
  • Reduce barriers to transportation access to and from schools
  • Improve transportation options for Alameda County's middle and high school students
  • Build support for transit in Alameda County
  • Develop effective three-year pilot programs
  • Create a basis for a countywide student transit pass program (funding permitting)
Implementation
The pilot was implemented from August 2016 through July 2019, and several program models were tested during this time. In March 2016, the Commission approved a site selection framework and a shortlist of 36 school sites that were eligible during the three-year pilot. At the same time, the Commission approved an evaluation framework for the pilot program, including 18 quantitative and qualitative measures to assess the effectiveness of the pilot program models. Throughout this process, feedback was solicited from interested stakeholders. A robust evaluation report was published each year of the Pilot; the reports are available below.
Program Evaluations
The Year One Pilot Program Evaluation Report was published in October 2017. The Year Two Pilot Program Evaluation Report and Appendices were published in November 2018. The Year Three Pilot Program Evaluation Report was published in November 2019. The Final Pilot Program Evaluation Report, which includes appendices, was published in February 2020.

The evaluation reports draw on a variety of qualitative and quantitative data collected throughout the three-year pilot period, including:
  • Data reported from transit agencies (historical baseline and usage data)
  • Information tracked by the school program administrators
  • Surveys and focus groups at schools