Howard County Students Can Use New Free Digital Bus Pass Program

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — A free digital bus pass program for Howard County students that they can access from their phones or smart devices via an app has been unveiled.

The free Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland bus pass program for HCPSS middle and high school students first launched in 2021. The following year, the program was expanded to include students at Howard Community College to help provide better access to transit services in the county. In total, more than 1,200 printed passes have been issued to students for free access to RTA transit over the last two years.

Now, the digital bus pass program allows students to access their pass via the Transit app. Students who do not have access to a smart phone can still receive a free, printed bus pass from their school administrative offices after the start of school.

“Expanding access to public transportation is essential to our goal of increasing connectivity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and creating more pathways for economic opportunity in our community,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. “Through our free digital bus pass program for HCPSS and HCC students, our young people can better access RTA transit and travel to important destinations throughout Howard County.”

Michael J. Martirano, superintendent of HCPSS, said many high schoolers rely on RTA buses to get home from their extracurricular and other afterschool activities.

"We are greatly appreciative for the collaborative efforts of the county executive and county leadership and staff so more students across all grade levels have greater access to the wonderful community services offered in our schools and through public transportation," Martirano said.

Daria Willis, president of Howard Community College, said the digital student bus pass program is "a game changer for our students."

"It will open up new possibilities that could not be realized before and give students access to free transportation right from their phones. We are committed to providing the best possible educational experiences for our students and this program is a major step in that direction," Willis said.

With the launch of digital passes for the 2023-2024 school year, students can enjoy access to free bus passes right from their phone through the Transit app. The creation of digital student bus passes will improve access and participation in the program.

“The RTA encourages all students to explore our improved transit system. Thanks to our partnerships with local government and state and federal grant funding, we have replaced 25 buses and significantly improved the reliability of our fleet in 2023,” said Jason Quan, general manager of RTA. “Those improvements combined with a focus on technology such as mobile payment options and real-time bus information has positioned the RTA to become a valuable transportation option for students and other riders. We welcome the next generation of transit riders to our system.”