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Students, advocates urge Connecticut to subsidize bus fares for high schoolers
Summary
Students, city officials and transit advocates told the Transportation Committee that restoring targeted fare-free service for high school students (SB 1243) would improve attendance, safety and access to jobs. Witnesses cited pilot data and asked lawmakers to identify sustainable funding and automatic enrollment mechanisms.
The Transportation Committee heard hours of testimony on SB 1243 on Feb. 10, with students, school leaders, transit advocates and municipal officials urging lawmakers to extend free or deeply subsidized CT Transit passes to high school students.
Proponents said the measure would remove a routine barrier for low-income students. Josh Mitchum, a Hartford city councilor, said modest fares can be prohibitive, noting that a typical round-trip fare "that $3.50 round trip" adds up over a month for families with limited means. Jay Stange, a former teacher and transit advocate, presented pilot and CT Transit data and said ridership fell after pandemic-era free fares ended: "When 12 months of free fares on CT Transit buses funded by federal grants ended on 03/31/2023, there was a ridership drop of 33% on the Stamford division, 28% in Hartford, 27% in New Haven and 13% in Waterbury," he said.
Students from University High School in Hartford gave personal examples of lost opportunities before the pilot and gains afterward. Oluwase Olubarade testified: "Fare free transit is a must," and other students described getting jobs, attending sports and avoiding unsafe walks home after schools gained access to passes through a Hartford ARPA pilot funded with $175,000 for five high schools.
Agency and fiscal questions were raised. Witnesses and committee members discussed funding sources, with advocates pointing to the Special Transportation Fund's surpluses and urging the committee to identify a dedicated, permanent funding source and to simplify enrollment. Zach Oberholtzer of People Friendly Stamford urged automatic enrollment for eligible low-income riders and school distribution of IDs for students.
The committee requested follow-up materials: witnesses agreed to provide pilot reports, exact cost estimates and DOT ridership breakdowns so members can weigh fiscal trade-offs and implementation logistics. The hearing record remains open for written testimony.
