FreeRyde
Fare-free for youth aimed at reducing transportation barriers
Teens 14 and older need a FreeRyde smart card
New smart card will have original design by TCAT artist Jenn Jennings
Older teens who want to ride fare free will need TCAT’s FreeRyde smart card that can be obtained through a registration form completed by a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult.
Inspired by local youth advocates, TCAT launched its FreeRyde program in 2022 to enable youth through the age of 17 (or older if still enrolled in high school) to ride fare free. Those 14 and older, however, need a pass to enable drivers to distinguish them among college students and young adults. Those aged 13 and under only need to board the bus and ride. Anyone aged 5 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Due to changes with our new fare collection system, we are now requiring parents, guardians, teachers or representatives from youth or social services organizations to fill out a registration form on behalf of each young person to receive a FreeRyde card. Interactive and downloadable registration forms are available (right column.) TCAT will also have forms available for pick up at the customer service desk, 737 Willow Ave., Ithaca NY 14850, Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Anyone who would like a registration form mailed to them, please give us a call (607) 277-RIDE (7433) or email freeryde@tcatmail.com.
After registration form is processed, TCAT will send them out in the mail or have them available for pickup at our customer service desk as soon as possible. Old mag-striped FreeRyde cards (pre-2025) cannot be swiped on the farebox and need to be replaced with a new smart card.
Each new smart card issued will be valid until the student turns 18 or until September 1 of they year they graduate high school, whichever comes later. Note: a replacement card will cost $3 so card holders are advised to keep their FreeRyde pass secure.
The aim of the FreeRyde program is to reduce transportation barriers among young people and to help them experience first-hand the benefits of public transportation. The hope is that by the time they are adults with the ability to pay for their own fares, they will have the confidence and motivation to use public transit.
More freedom for you to get to where you need to go…
….but there are responsibilites involved!
Please see riders’ rights and responsibilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible?
Anyone who is 17 years and younger (or older if still enrolled in high school or home schooled)
Everyone aged 13 and younger can ride for free. Simply walk on the bus! Those under the age of 5 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian or designated responsible adult.
Those aged 14-17 need a Free Ryde pass to help bus operators distinguish them from adults and college students.
Those aged 17+ may ride for free only if they are attending high school (Public, private, charter, homeschool). Eligibility is only possible with a pass.
College students aged 17 and younger do not qualify for a Free Ryde pass. Please see the College Students page or the Fare & Pass Options pages.
If you live outside the county and meet the age requirements, you also qualify for a pass.
I need to get a FreeRyde card. Who do I go to?
Due to changes with the new fare system, TCAT will require parents, guardians, teachers or representatives from youth or social services organizations to fill out a registration form for each young person to receive a FreeRyde card which can be picked up at TCAT’s main office at 737 Willow Ave., Ithaca, or mailed. (No charge for card or mailing. However, a replacement card will cost $3.00.)
Each pass is valid through September 6, 2025. Also, passes are valid for the summer after graduation date.
Can I get FreeRyde privileges on TCAT's mobile app?
No. You need the FreeRyde smart card to go fare free.
How does the FreeRyde card work on the bus?
With the smart card, the rider only needs to tap it on the very top off the farebox and ride (see photo.) This is different from the original FreeRyde magnetic-striped card that needed to be swiped on the mag-stripe reader.
Current mag-stripe FreeRyde cards now in circulation will not be valid on the fare box after Sept. 6, 2024. However, if you haven’t received your new smart card yet and have the old mag stripe FreeRyde card you can show it to your bus operator to ride free BUT only through Fri., Sept. 20.
Why will only older teens need to show a pass?
Lots of older teens may be confused with adults or college students and bus operators need some way to tell the difference. We still need revenue from adult fares and college/university fare programs so it is important that these riders are counted properly.
I am 17 or younger but I am not homeschooled or in high school. Do I get to ride free?
Yes you do. See the registration process above.
I live outside county lines but go to school in Tompkins County. Can I get a pass?
Yes, any youth visiting Tompkins County between the ages of 14 and 17 (or older if still enrolled in high school) qualifies.See the registration process above.
Is the bus safe?
Yes, our buses are very safe. TCAT has professional, fully licensed drivers who go through rigorous training. All bus operators stay in constant touch with our dispatchers via radio and GPS locators on all of our buses. Parents and guardians will of course need to make their own decisions about letting their child ride the bus.
How do I ride the bus?
We will make every effort to give you the confidence to ride the bus like a pro! TCAT and our partners hope to visit to schools and youth centers to provide some tips on riding the bus, reading schedules, using apps for trip-planning, and accessing real-time arrival information.
To start, though, we have some resources online that can help:
- Browse through our Learn section for basic information.
- Check out our apps page to see how to download the Transit, MyStop, or other apps that make riding the bus a breeze.
- We also encourage you to check out TCAT to Trails, a community-led, collaborative project with the Cayuga Trails Club and others, that shows you all the wonderful places you can go in the county with TCAT. Click on the TCAT to Trails map on the right for more information, or visit our TCAT to Trails page.
Do you have the capacity on your buses to handle more ridership?
Yes we do. While TCAT has been forced to reduce service recently due to nationwide transit worker shortages, most of these reductions have been implemented during the morning and evening peak periods when driver staffing requirements are at their highest. The less-affected midday trips have plenty of room for more ridership, and we are hoping to fill those seats with young people.
Why Free Ryde?
We have many amazing and energized local youth advocates and educators who want to make sure teens, adolescents and children can enjoy our many local offerings without being deterred by a lack of transportaton.
These advocates approached TCAT to see how we can reduce transportation barriers for youth and extended a request for help from area school officials. TCAT had hoped to implement some type of fare-free program for some time now, but the support and enthusiasm from our community and school officials has allowed us to kick off what is now known as “FreeRyde” sooner rather than later.
The FreeRyde program will provide the opportunity for more young people to ride the bus and gain confidence with using public transit. Hopefully, when they are older, they will become paying customers whose transit use will help curb carbon emissions and reduce traffic, while saving them money!