Canada’s Largest Youth

Transit Resource Library 

Our goal is to create an aggregated, open-access library of resources to help communities who are exploring free youth transit programs for youth. Do you have something to add to this page? Please let us know!

The Kingston Model 

Responsive Timeline
  • Pilot program launched — Grade 9 students ride Kingston Transit for free.2012
  • Limestone DSB develops in-school training with United Way funding; Grade 10 added.2013
  • Pilot expands to Grades 9–11 – push for Grade 12 summer access begins.2015
  • Program now covers all Grades 9–12, driving ridership to 600, 000 annually.2016
  • City adopts free transit for children aged 0–14 — no ID or pass required.2017
  • Pilot extended to 2022; Dan gives TEDx talk “Throwing Our Car Culture Under the Bus”.2019
  • Partnership with Small Change Fund to scale youth transit programming.2021
  • Council makes program permanent; Dan joins Global 24 Hours of Reality.2022
  • Small Change Fund launches “Get on the Bus” nationally.2023

Kingston Youth Transit Resources

In 2012, Program Director Dan Hendry helped plant the seeds for the Get On the Bus youth transit movement in Kingston, Ontario. In partnership with the Limestone District School Board and the City of Kingston (Kingston Transit), he introduced the transformative Kingston High School Bus Pass Program. This simple yet powerful model gave high school students free bus passes, along with hands-on training that built confidence in navigating public transit.

The results were remarkable: Kingston high school students increased their transit use from 28,000 to nearly 600,000 rides annually (pre-Covid numbers). This dramatic leap demonstrates the impact of our core philosophy: when you equip youth with the tools, skills and encouragement they need to use public transportation, they gain real-world independence and a sense of agency – and become dedicated transit riders.

This “Kingston Model” championed by Get On The Bus is about more than free rides; it’s about creating a lasting cultural shift. By cutting carbon emissions, building life skills and empowering youth, we’re proving that a simple bus pass can be a catalyst for widespread change in how communities move and grow.

Title slide for a presentation on the impact of free transit passes on youth travel behavior. It includes the date August 10, 2017, presented by Veronica Sullivan under supervision of Jeff Casello, from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Waterloo. The slide features a 3D bar graph map of Lake Ontario showing increased youth travel activity.
Students standing outside in front of a blue bus with an electronic sign that reads 'Welcome Students!'

Federation of Canadian Municipalities

Kingston logo with a stylized blue lighthouse and three wavy lines underneath, with the word "KINGSTON" in blue capital letters.

City of Kingston — Council Reports

Reports & Studies

Cover page titled "Getting Edmonton Youth on the Bus" with a bus illustration, logos of Small Change Fund, Alberta Ecotrust, and a link to the Environmental Impact Grant Program.

Getting Edmonton Youth on the Bus: A Feasibility Study 

By Sophia Young, 2024 (Small Change Fund & Alberta Ecotrust)

This Edmonton-based feasibility report explores free youth transit passes and training. Surveys revealed strong community support for fare-free programs but highlighted cost barriers. The report identifies existing subsidies, champions for policy change and opportunities for city-school partnerships. Recommendations focus on expanding access while aligning with equity and climate goals.

Cover page of a research paper titled 'Next Stop, Leadership: Empowering Youth through Public Transportation' by Tia Howlett-Lean, submitted for a Master of Business Administration in Community Economic Development at Cape Breton University, March 2025, under the guidance of Dr. Fiona Duguid.

By Tia Howlett-Lean, March 2025 (Cape Breton University)

This MBA research project explores how public transit supports youth leadership development. Drawing on leadership theory and mobility studies, Howlett-Lean shows transit enhances independence, civic engagement and equity. The study calls for fare-free youth programs and transit training, highlighting Kingston, Ontario as a best practice example.

Next Stop, Leadership: Empowering Youth through Public Transportation

Cover page of a research brief titled 'Transit for Teens: Parental Perspectives on the Impact of Free Transit for Youth 13-18 in BC', showing a group of diverse teenagers walking outdoors with backpacks.

Single Mothers’ Alliance, 2023

This research brief shares parental insights on the impact of free public transit for teens, based on focus groups from Vancouver’s Reduced Fare Transit Pilot. Parents described transformative benefits: teens accessed more activities, supports and friendships; gained confidence and independence; and felt a greater sense of belonging. The findings underline the role of transit in mental wellness, inclusion and economic relief for low-income families. The report calls for extending fare-free transit through Grade 12 to ensure equitable youth mobility and opportunity.

Transit for Teens: Parental Perspectives on  the Impact of  Free

A teenage boy with curly hair, wearing headphones and a dark hoodie, standing inside a bus holding a yellow handrail, with other passengers seated in the background.

Free Transit for Youth on the Sunshine Coast: Feasibility Study

By Anna Lattanzi, November 2023 (Sunshine Coast Regional District)

This feasibility study assesses the impact of providing fare-free transit to youth aged 13-18. Findings show strong community support, with clear benefits for equity, GHG reduction and youth independence. A school-administered “combined pass” is recommended, supported by partnerships between the school district and local government.

Screenshot of an email from Paul Mochrie, City Manager of Vancouver, addressed to the Mayor and City Council, discussing a memo about the Reduced Fare Transit Pilot program, attached as a PDF.

Reduced Fare
Transit Pilot Update

City of Vancouver Council Memo, September 2022

This memo summarizes Vancouver’s pilot providing reduced fare transit to low-income residents. Findings show improved access to health, employment and social connection. Though limited in duration and scope, the pilot supports broader affordability measures like the #AllOnBoard campaign for free youth transit and sliding-scale fares.

Cover page of a publication titled "Youth and Public Transit: A Knowledge Synthesis of Recent Publications" by authors Kathleen Reed, Jennifer Marchbank, and Travers, published in December 2021, related to studies in women, gender, sexuality, and anthropology at Vancouver Island University and Simon Fraser University.

By Reed, Marchbank, and Travers, December 2021 (SSHRC)

This national synthesis compiles 10+ years of research on youth and transit, including youth-led advocacy, fare policies and involvement with transit authorities. The authors call for policy changes, inclusive engagement and expanded fare-free programs to support youth mobility, equity and long-term transit ridership.

Youth and Public Transit: A Knowledge Synthesis

Cover page of a report titled 'The Impact of Subsidized Transit Programs in Charlottetown High Schools,' prepared by Jacqui Scaman for The City of Charlottetown and T3 Transit, dated June 20, 2019.

By Jacqui Scaman, June 2019 (City of Charlottetown & T3 Transit)

This report evaluates a pilot offering free bus passes to high school students in Charlottetown. Participants used transit more often, gained independence and engaged in more activities. Despite positive outcomes, most students indicated they wouldn’t pay for future passes due to cost barriers. The report recommends expanding the free pass program with shared funding. 

The Impact of Subsidized Transit Programs
in Charlottetown
High Schools 

Thesis cover page titled 'Impact of Free Transit Passes on Youth Travel Behaviour' by Veronica Lee Sullivan, presented at the University of Waterloo in 2017.

By Veronica Lee Sullivan, August 2017 (University of Waterloo)

This thesis evaluates Kingston, Ontario’s complimentary transit pass program for high school students, examining its influence on youth mobility, ridership, and household transportation needs. Using survey data and ridership analysis, Sullivan found that as students gained experience with transit, they rode more frequently, unlocking greater independence and access to activities. Parents also reported fewer spatial constraints on their children’s mobility. The study concludes that fare-free programs can be a powerful tool to support youth travel autonomy and recommends similar initiatives in other mid-sized North American cities.

Impact of Free Transit Passes on Youth Travel Behaviour

Community Materials

Our goal is to create the most up-to-date library of resources from communities who are acting on free youth transit. See a resource that's missing? Let us know at info@getonthebus.ca!

“The free bus pass allowed me to develop independence since I was no longer reliant on my parents for rides, and improved my social life dramatically since I could travel across town reliably without charge.”

— Saige Clark, Frontenac Secondary School Alumna