Student Transit Pass Program

Alameda CTC is responsible for the implementation of the Student Transit Pass Program (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 goals of the program 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

The STPP provides free youth Clipper cards to eligible middle and high school students 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.

The Student Transit Pass Program is undergoing a phased expansion to all middle and high schools in Alameda County with bus service over the next five years. The expansion phasing seeks to balance geographic equity across planning areas in the county.

During the 2019-20 school year, the Student Transit Pass Program will expand to all middle and high schools in the following districts:
  • Alameda County Office of Education (ACOE)
  • Emery Unified School District (Emery USD)
  • Hayward Unified School District (HUSD)
  • Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD)
  • New Haven Unified School District (NHUSD)
  • Newark Unified School District (NUSD)
  • Pleasanton Unified School District (PUSD)
  • San Leandro Unified School District (SLUSD)

The STPP program will include a subset of middle and high schools the following districts:
  • Alameda Unified School District (AUSD)
  • Fremont Unified School District (FUSD)
  • Oakland Unified School District (OUSD).

The schools participating during the 2019-20 school year can be found on the next tab, Program Sites.

During the 2019-20 school year, 62 middle and high schools in Alameda County will participate in the STPP. The participating schools and the parameters for each District are summarized below.

Pilot program frequently asked questions (FAQs) and application materials are available on the next tab, Application and FAQs.

Oakland Unified School District
  • Free and universal program: All students at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card.
    • Aspire Golden State College Preparatory Academy
    • Aspire Lionel Wilson College Preparatory Academy
    • Castlemont High School
    • Civicorps Corpsmember Academy
    • Coliseum College Prep Academy
    • Elmhurst Community Prep
    • Fremont High School
    • Frick Middle School
    • McClymonds High School
    • Oakland High School
    • Oakland International High School
    • Roosevelt Middle School
    • Urban Promise Academy
    • West Oakland Middle School
    • Westlake Middle School
Emery Unified School District
  • Free and universal program: All students at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card.
    • Anna Yates Elementary School
    • Emery Secondary High School
San Leandro Unified School District
  • Free and universal program: All students at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card.
    • Bancroft Middle School
    • John Muir Middle School
    • Lincoln High School
    • San Leandro High School
Hayward Unified School District
  • Means-based program: All low-income students at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card.
    • Anthony W. Ochoa Middle School
    • Brenkwitz High School
    • Bret Harte Middle School
    • Cesar Chavez Middle School
    • Hayward High School
    • Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School
    • Mt. Eden High School
    • Tennyson High School
    • Winton Middle School
Alameda County Office of Education
  • Free and universal program: All students at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card.
    • Burke Academy
    • Fruitvale Academy
    • Hayward Community School
    • Opportunity Charter
    • Quest Academy Community School
New Haven Unified School District
  • Means-based program: All low-income students at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit and Union City Transit bus pass on a Clipper card.
    • Cesar Chavez Middle School
    • Conley-Caraballo High School
    • Decoto School for Independent Study
    • Itliong-Vera Cruz Middle School
    • James Logan High School
Newark Unified School District
  • Free and universal program: All students at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card.
    • Bridgepoint High School
    • Crossroads High School
    • Newark Junior High School
    • Newark Memorial High School
Fremont Unified School District
  • Means-based program: All low-income students at the following schools have access to a free AC Transit bus pass on a Clipper card.
    • American High School
    • Williams Hopkins Junior High School
Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District
  • Free and universal program: All students at the following schools have access to a free LAVTA Wheels bus pass on a Clipper card.
    • Andrew N. Christensen Middle School
    • Del Valle High School
    • East Avenue Middle School
    • Granada High School
    • Joe Michell K-8 School
    • Junction Avenue K-8 School
    • Livermore High School
    • Vineyard Alternative School
    • William Mendenhall Middle School
Pleasanton Unified School District
  • Means-based program: All low-income students at the following schools have access to a free LAVTA Wheels bus pass on a youth Clipper Card.
    • Amador Valley High School
    • Foothill High School
    • Hart (Thomas S. Hart) Middle School
    • Harvest Park Middle School
    • Pleasanton Middle School
    • Village High School
students sign up for program
banner for the student transit pass pilot
Alameda County Office of Education Emery Unifed School District Fremont Unified School District Hayward Unified School District Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District New Haven Unified School District Newark Unified School District Oakland Unified School District Pleasanton Unified School District San Leandro Unified School District Students enrolled in program schools should contact their school administration office for any other information about the program.

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Pilot Program Evaluation

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 Final Pilot Program Evaluation Report will be published in December 2019.

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

Background Documents

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 differences 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)

The program was implemented from August 2016 through July 2019, and several pilot 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 on the prior tab, Resources.