Mayor Durkan signs legislation that gives free ORCA cards to students

SEATTLE — Mayor Jenny Durkan did a ceremonial signing Tuesday of her legislation that will provide free ORCA cards and unlimited year-round public transit for Seattle public high school students.

As part of the new ORCA Opportunity program, approximately 15,000 public high school students and Seattle Promise scholars will now have access free transit. ORCA cards are valid on King County Metro, King County Water Taxi, Seattle Streetcar, Sound Transit, Community Transit, Pierce Transit, Kitsap Transit and Everett Transit.

In February, Durkan originally promised free ORCA transit passes to all Seattle public high school students in her State of the City address.

Her office said the move would save families with at least one student up to $540 for trips to school and even more during the summer.

Previous programs providing free youth ORCA passes were only for the school year or limited based on family income or the distance students lived from school.

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