Summer Freedom Forever: Snoqualmie Valley Transit is partnering with Metro to announce free rides for youth all year long

A new free youth transit pass will replace the use of ORCA cards on Metro lines, and in Snoqualmie Valley, riders 18 and under will do just what they’ve been doing all summer, ride the bus wherever they want to go for free. .

Snoqualmie Valley Transportation launched its Summer Freedom Program in 2019, specifically to help families with children manage their busy summer schedules, and provided more than 1,200 rides to youth in its first year. The program has grown in ridership, and each year, youth ridership increases dramatically between June and July as teens spread the word about the service.

Amy Biggs, executive director of SVT, said: “We’re excited that it’s not just ‘summer freedom’ but ‘freedom forever’ because buses will be free for 18 and a full year.”

King County Metro announced this change on their Metro Buses site, which can be viewed here: Click here for the King County announcement.

The impact of the change on SVT’s day-to-day operations will be minimal as their summer freedom program covers all SVT routes.

Biggs estimated that extending free fares to youth year-round could cost the service $300 a month in lost fares. However, she felt the benefits to the community, especially working parents and other residents, were worth it. Funded by King County Metro, the Valley Shuttle is a donation-based service, she said, “and no SVT bus charges a fee to connect people to the larger metro regional network.

About Snoqualmie Valley Transportation: Snoqualmie Valley Transportation (SVT) is the public bus service in Snoqualmie Valley. Supported by King County Metro Transit, the Snoqualmie Tribe, WSDOT, and donations, SVT provides a variety of local-only bus services in North Bend, Snoqualmie, Fall City, Preston, Carnation, Duval and Monroe. More information about Snoqualmie Valley Transportation is available at http://svtbus.org or by calling 425-888-7001.

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