Morton and Hailu: OC Transpo should be free for all students, not just some

Free OC Transpo passes for all youth would create good public transit habits for them as adults. Photo by JEAN LEVAC /POSTMEDIAArticle content

There’s a transit disparity in this city that no one is talking about.

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Some middle and high school students get free OC Transpo Presto passes, whereas others don’t. If you live on a yellow-bus route, or within “walking distance” of your school, you’re out of luck. In Grade 8 (like us), that means if you live 1.6 km or less from the school, you’re a designated walker. In Grade 9, that walking distance doubles, to 3.2 km. If you live outside of that, with no yellow-bus transport, then you get the free pass.

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But by giving some students under 18 free Presto passes and letting others go without, we have created a system of haves and have-nots. For some students, this can mean the difference between having equitable access to a range of opportunities.

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As Grade 8 students, we see this inequality play out regularly. A Presto pass for a student or young person not covered by the program costs about $104 a month.

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We believe that free transit for all students would allow for equal access to education, jobs and extracurricular opportunities. It would reduce financial pressure on families and encourage people to develop healthy habits for our environment.

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For lower-income families, cutting transportation costs might allow them to better afford necessities such as food, shelter and learning materials. Eliminating transport costs would also help youth from low-income families participate fully in school, work and community activities. We know people who walk home because they live within a three-km radius. During the coldest months of the year, one friend is annoyed and cold while walking to and from school. Especially after a long and exhausting school day, it is very tiring to trek long distances in the dark.

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Providing free transportation encourages people to use it for the rest of their lives, which eventually can cause a decrease in traffic and car dependency. Studies have shown that if young adults regularly use public transportation, they’re more likely to continue those habits into adulthood. This could eventually result in fewer vehicles on the roads, which would lessen greenhouse gas emissions. With fewer vehicles emitting, the air will be purer, and the environment will become healthier for everyone.

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Students who don’t get pre-paid Presto passes also lack access to free transportation in the evenings and on weekends, whereas the students who do can use the passes for work, babysitting, and to get to activities. This unfairly disadvantages the others. And it can lead to some young people getting on the bus without paying, which opens them up to fines and punishments.