PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, all Pinellas County students, teachers and staff will be able to ride on PSTA buses for free.
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) says the free rides are part of a partnership with the Pinellas County School District that was approved by the school board.
All students and staff will have to do to get a free ride is to show their school ID to the bus driver.
The agreement between the school district and the PSTA is called the Universal Pass or UPASS.
“We are thrilled to partner with PSTA to improve transportation options for our students and employees,” Pinellas County Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Grego said in a statement. “Not only will our students and staff have free public transit to and from campus, they will also enjoy free PSTA bus service after school hours and on weekends.”
PSTA says during the 2022-2023 school year, PSTA and PCS will work together on a pilot program that would allow students at Dunedin, Largo and Gibbs high schools to ride the buses and get to school on time.
“PSTA has numerous public transit routes and bus stops convenient to schools throughout the county,” Brad Miller, Chief Executive Officer of PSTA said in a statement. “But UPass offers much more. All PCS students and staff will be able to ride for free, any time, on all routes so they can access jobs, after-school activities, or even the beach.”
For more information on UPASS and how the system works, click here.
