Sound Investments: Why the Student Adventure Pass Builds a Better Future for Southern California

Sound Investments: Why the Student Adventure Pass Builds a Better Future for Southern California

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By Darren Kettle

Last October, Metrolink launched the Student Adventure Pass (SAP), a grant-funded program providing free rides to K-12, technical school, college and university students. In the six months since we introduced this student benefit, we've seen more than 25,000 students from more than 450 different schools and institutions take advantage of the program.

I've been lucky enough during this time to see the impact of the Student Adventure Pass on both a macro and micro level. We've been monitoring its effect on ridership and how it has helped increase transit equity for our youngest passengers. But we've also heard individual stories from students about what SAP has made possible for them - making it easier to travel across the region during their free time, take on professional development opportunities or visit family.

Given its incredible impact on students, families, and our ridership, we are working closely with Caltrans and our member agencies to extend this free fare program through the next academic year. Students - we are listening. We know how much this program means to you and we're doing everything possible to keep it alive.

Here is what we've heard about what the program has meant to our riders so far and why the Student Adventure Pass is an investment worth making in the months and years ahead.

Increasing Equity for Low-income Riders

We were surprised to see how quickly ridership trends shifted because of the SAP: we found that users of our Mobility-4-All low-income discount program decreased immediately. But this shouldn't have come as a surprise. The lower-income students on our system were able to begin using Metrolink for free with SAP instead of using the 50% discount offered through Mobility-4-All.

It's easy to imagine what that cost savings means to students who previously relied on our low-income fare program - the SAP has made it easier for these students to travel to and from school, while providing them with financial breathing room that can help them pursue new opportunities.

SAP use runs the gamut from commuter schools like San Bernardino Valley College and Cal State LA to universities with high percentages of on-campus students like USC or UC Irvine. Every dollar matters for these students, and the SAP provides them with more opportunity regardless of where they're starting from or where they're headed.

Building the Transit Muscle

We don't just see a short-term benefit to SAP. Yes, the program increases mobility and equity for students today. But it also builds good habits among these students that they will carry with them as they enter the workforce and become paying users of our system. It's no secret that the majority of Southern Californians travel by car to get from Point A to Point B - but by introducing students to Metrolink at an early age, we significantly increase the likelihood that they will continue choosing our system in the future.

I am a regular Metrolink rider, and it has been a delight to see how students have embraced the service because of the SAP. I was recently taking the train when I happened to enter a car with a dozen or so high school students. Of course, these aren't the quietest users of our system - they are talking, laughing, singing. I was blown away when I heard those students talking about the Student Adventure Pass, and even more amazed when they recognized me as CEO of the service. I'll chalk it up to youthful enthusiasm that one of those students told me I was her hero, but the fact remains - these are young people who are potentially becoming lifelong users of public transit.

Opening New Opportunities

What was most gratifying about listening to those high schoolers on the train was hearing the many ways they wanted to take advantage of the SAP. It's not just a matter of getting to and from school for these students - the program gives them a measure of freedom to explore the region and take advantage of everything Southern California has to offer. I heard the students mention taking the Antelope Valley Line and going on some amazing hikes. The SAP also makes it possible for students to explore downtown Los Angeles, experience the magic of Disneyland or take the train up to Ventura to spend a day at the beach.

Today's student experience isn't just a matter of what happens on the grounds of their campus. SAP allows students to look further - to gain real-world knowledge at an internship downtown, attend a sporting event or take advantage of the entertainment and cultural experiences that are so plentiful in this amazingly diverse region we call home. It makes public transportation synonymous with possibility.

The Student Adventure Pass is an investment in a better, more vibrant future for Southern California. It deserves our continued support.