DC Council Seeks To Expand ‘Kids Ride Free' Program to Adult Students

We’re extremely pleased that Councilmember Silverman led the way and introduced the “Adult Learners Transit Subsidy Amendment Act of 2017.” This bill, if enacted, would provide vital subsidies to disaffected youth and individuals over the age of 18 who struggle with the cost of getting to school. At the Adult Education hearing held in September 2015, many of the adult school leaders urged the Council to expand transportation subsidies to adult learners, which was also addressed in a report from the Deputy Mayor for Education in November of last year.  

As the DC Fiscal Policy Institute notes, approximately 60,000 adults lack a GED, and many of that number cannot read. By allowing students over the age of 22 to access public transportation free of charge, our city can lift a significant barrier to entry for many financially struggling students. We thank Councilmembers Silverman, Todd, Evans, Grosso, R. White, Nadeau, Allen, and Bonds for their leadership on this issue. Passage of this bill will put DC on the right track to truly eliminate poverty.

Councilmember Silverman introduced legislations to help Adult Learners Transit Subsidy Amendment Act of 2017.