Over 18? No Bus Pass Discount in Oakland
Age limit leaves out about 800 Oakland high school students, but AC Transit can't afford fare reduction
The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District’s finances are in dire straights. Facing a $21 million deficit, along with employee layoffs, service cuts and the probable closure of facilities, AC Transit doesn’t have a lot of breathing room. On Wednesday, the public transit agency’s board of directors decided the agency can’t finance the estimated $625,000 it would cost to offer discounted youth bus passes for Oakland Unified School District high school students over the age of 18, a benefit that the district requested earlier this month.
“We have a very deep budget deficit forecast and we’re just not in a position, at this point, to agree to additional expenses,” said AC Transit spokesman Clarence Johnson after the board meeting on Wednesday. “The $625,000 is a big chunk of money for us.”
On March 9, the OUSD school board passed a resolution requesting that AC Transit offer low-fare bus passes to all students enrolled in district schools regardless of age. Currently, AC Transit offers $15 per month youth passes to anyone under the age of 18. An adult fare is $2 per ride, which would cost $80 per month for a student who attends school five days a week.
This age limit leaves out approximately 800 OUSD students, according to school district estimates. Those students who cannot afford the higher fare are denied equal access to public education, say advocates of the resolution.
“We understand as well as anyone the financial crisis, given the state’s misfortunes. However, an investment in education is an investment in our future,” says OUSD spokesman Troy Flint. “This will have an impact on one of the most vulnerable populations. It is disheartening.”
The students most at risk of not being able to pay the higher fare, according to OUSD school board members, are students who are in special education, foster care, alternative education settings, or who live in unstable housing situations. Disabled students and refugees to the United States are also considered particularly at risk.
Tizzie Lish
This article states that some of these over-18 students are disabled. All disabled bus riders, regardless of their age, are eligible for a monthly AC Transit unlimited rides bus pass for $20. This would only cover a portion of the over-18 high schools students. This is one small example of how all these public servants are talking AT one another but not reading the fine print of what exists.
And why does Oakland School took blithely offload the cost of transporting over-18 high school students onto AC Transit? Why is AC Transit made responsible for funding school transportation? Why isn't that the public schools job? Or the County's job? Why pick on AC Transit?
AC Transit does not, as far as I know, turn to Oakland public schools and ask for help in its problems. Where is it written that a local transit authority has an obligation to provide free or low cost transit to public school students?
I understand that 'the community' needs to give h.s. education to all. I understand that part of educating involves some transportation. But why does Oakland Schools assign responsibility for transit onto the local public transit system? Explain that reasoning. It is just as rational to say that the public schools should fund school buses out of public school budget for all its students. And in many communities all over the country, the public schools are, in fact, responsible for transportation.
First: decide that getting students to school for free education if a public responsibility.
Second: decide who will fund the transportation to school.
Why assume it should be the local bus company? Why not the school district?