Youth under the age of 18 might soon be able to ride Anchorage’s public buses for free.
East Anchorage Assembly member George Martinez is introducing an ordinance that would do just that.
Martinez has a 16-year-old son who uses Anchorage’s People Mover system. He hopes the move increases ridership among youth and helps lower- and middle-class families.
“The opportunity for more young people to have access to safe, reliable public transportation is important,” Martinez said. “It's growing. The needs are growing.”
Currently, children under the age of 5 don’t have to pay to ride Anchorage buses, and it’s a dollar for kids ages 5 to 17. Senior citizens can also ride the bus for free on Wednesdays.
According to the city, Anchorage’s People Mover system transports roughly 12,000 passengers daily and operates from about 6 a.m. to midnight, with a reduced schedule on weekends.
The measure could help Anchorage’s economy by connecting teenagers to jobs, Martinez said, especially as the school district prepares to roll out its career academies initiative, aimed at connecting high school students to future careers. Increased ridership could also help the city get more federal money to support its public transportation, he said.
“Essentially, butts in seats per mile,” Martinez said of the federal funding formula. “So the more riders you have using the bus, the more you get to pull down subsidies that may be out there for public transportation.”
Martinez crafted his proposal after meeting with Anchorage’s public transportation department and said it fits with the city’s long-term goals.
Martinez’s ordinance is set to be introduced during Tuesday night’s Assembly meeting, and the body could vote on it as early as June 10.
