Children 12 and younger who are with a paying adult will be able to ride Fairfax Connector buses for free, starting May 1.
The Fairfax County supervisors approved the change Tuesday. The county previously allowed up to two children under the age of four to ride free with a paying adult. Middle and high school students ride free through the student bus pass program.
The new policy closes the gap by allowing all children to ride free. The supervisors also decided there would not be a limit on the number of children who are with the adult.
The change comes as the county looks to reduce barriers to bus service for communities of color and low-income households. In neighboring Alexandria, riders do not pay to ride DASH buses.
A Fairfax County staff report said the fiscal impact will be “negligible.”
“As a result, the proposed fare policy change is estimated to result in a $50,000 decrease in fare revenue for FY 2024. This adjustment can be absorbed by Fund 40000, County Transit Systems, for the remainder of FY 2023 and in FY 2024, while fare revenue budgeted for FY 2025 and beyond will reflect the updated policy,” the report said.
The Fairfax Connector is Northern Virginia’s largest local bus system with 93 daily routes and about 26,000 passengers.
Feature image courtesy Twitter/Fairfax Connector
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