King County Council passes plan allowing youth to ride public transit for free year-round

KING COUNTY, Wash. — The King County Council unanimously passed legislation Tuesday that will allow all King County residents under the age of 19 to ride public transit for free starting later this summer.

The legislation amends county law to say there is no cost for youth under the age of 19 to ride King County Metro.

The Free Youth Transit Pass will replace a current fare structure that charges $1.50 for youth aged 6-18. Youth aged 5 and under can already ride for free.

“Free youth transit passes on Metro transit means more King County youth will gain the independence and skills to travel to school and regular activities, explore new destinations across King County, and visit with friends, all without needing a ride from parents or caregivers,” said King County Council Chair Claudia Balducci. “Starting in September, everyone under 19 years of age can enjoy this newfound transit freedom at no cost.”

Any youth, including students, who currently have an ORCA card can begin using it on Sept. 1 as their Free Youth Transit Pass. Any expiration date on the card will be extended.

Riders aged 13 and older who do not have an ORCA card can also show a transit driver their current high school or middle school identification.

Youth who do not have a current ORCA card or student identification will still be able to ride for free.

The Free Youth Transit Pass is just one of several major projects included in Move Ahead Washington, a nearly $17 billion transportation package passed by state lawmakers earlier this year.

As part of this package, King County Metro is now eligible for an estimated $31.7 million in grant funding, far exceeding the roughly $10 million in annual fares the transit agency currently collects from youth under age 19.

“Zero Youth Fare will open opportunities for so many youths in King County — to jobs, to education, to health, to sports and to so much more,” said King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay. ”King County recognizes that mobility is a human right, and I’m proud to be a part of removing barriers to mobility and mass transit for our communities. This is an important investment in our youth, our communities and our futures.”

As of June 2022, there were about 329,000 students enrolled in K-12 public and private schools in King County. However, only about 22,000 of those students possess subsidized ORCA cards during the school year, according to the office of King County Executive Dow Constantine.

King County Metro will now begin developing a program to distribute ORCA cards to youth across King County. It also plans to launch an information campaign based on school and community outreach.

More details about King County Metro and other transit agencies’ plans for the Free Youth Transit Pass can be found at this link.

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