We urge the AAATA Board of Directors to revise its current policy on student fares for K-12 students aged 6-18 by removing the requirement that children show a student ID in order to receive a reduced fare.

Ann Arbor is a community that values public transit and youth engagement. The current policy regularly overcharges children who use public transit by requiring that they show an ID. Many AAPS K-5 schools do not provide student ID cards and it's common for older students to keep their IDs at school, or even to misplace them.

When parents and children utilize public transit, it reduces the strain on our road infrastructure and our parking infrastructure, and our environment. Riding the bus encourages healthy independence in kids, as well as facilitating engagement with their community. Kids who ride buses become adults who ride buses and support public transit.

Please help us make it easy and affordable for our kids to become engaged, thoughtful, community members who appreciate public services like transit!

// Photo by mentatdgt from Pexels