Student Transit Pass Program

Alameda CTC is responsible for the implementation of the Student Transit Pass Program (STPP) in Alameda County.

The program will make 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 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 or LAVTA Wheels, as well as a 50 percent discount on BART trips and youth discounts on other transit systems.

Phase I the Student Transit Pass Program expansion is based on Commission-approved expansion criteria and balances geographic equity across planning areas in the county. Participating schools in each District were confirmed in consultation with school district staff and agency staff in spring 2019.

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 schools in Alameda Unified School District (AUSD), Fremont Unified School District (FUSD), and Oakland Unified School District (OUSD).

The 2018-2019 school year is in the third year of the pilot. During Year 3, 21 middle and high schools in Alameda County will participate in the STPP. The participating schools and the parameters for each pilot program model are summarized below. Schools and school districts indicated with an asterisk are new participating schools and districts in year 3 of the program.

Pilot program frequently asked questions (FAQs) and registration materials are available below. Students enrolled in pilot program schools should contact their school administration office for any other information about the program.

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.

Travel Training

Evaluation

The Year One Program Evaluation Report was published in October 2017. The Year Two Program Evaluation Report and Appendices were published in November 2018. Both reports draw on data collected throughout their respective years, 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 is responsible for the development, implementation and evaluation of a three-year Student Transit Pass Program (STPP) pilot in Alameda County. This pilot program is identified in the voter-approved 2014 Transportation Expenditure Plan (2014 Plan) and is funded by Measure BB. The 2014 Plan includes $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 program provides a vital opportunity to assess student transportation needs in the county and to develop an approach to meet those needs through implementation of a sustainable pass program. The pilot will make 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 as follows:
  • 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 beginning in 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 are 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.

The Year One Program Evaluation Report was published in October 2017. The Year Two Program Evaluation Report and Appendices were published in November 2018. Both reports draw on data collected throughout their respective years, including:
  • Data reported from transit agencies (historical baseline and usage data)
  • Information tracked by the school program administrators
  • Surveys and focus groups at schools