The document summarizes the Student Free Fare Program pilot between Fairfax County and Fairfax County Public Schools. The program provides free bus passes to middle and high school students on Fairfax Connector buses. An evaluation of the pilot's first 6 months found over 3,800 weekly riders with highest ridership in the afternoon. Next steps discussed expanding outreach and assessing student and school feedback to refine the program for future school years.

1. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Student Free Fare Program
Board Transportation Committee
February 12, 2016
Transit Services Division
Department of Transportation

2. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Student Free Fare Program
Provide free trips on Fairfax Connector buses to
Fairfax County high school and middle school
students
• Developed in response to a Board Matter
• FY2015 budget language requested the
Department of Transportation explore
transportation partnerships with Fairfax
County Public Schools (FCPS)
Department of Transportation
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3. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Purpose
• Provide Fairfax County students with
transportation options
– Freedom to access before and after
school activities, tutoring, sports, clubs,
community service, and employment
• Workforce commuter preparedness
– Preparing the next generation of transit
riders for a more urban transportation
and multi-modal environment
Department of Transportation
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4. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Goals
• Short Term
– Fill gaps for school
transportation services
impacted by new, later school
hours for FCPS High School
students
– Provide flexibility for students
to travel on existing service
– Increase Fairfax Connector
ridership
Department of Transportation
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5. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Goals
• Long Term
– As the County continues to grow more urban &
densely populated; positions Fairfax Connector to be
a vital and sustainable transportation option
– Establishes transit as an important component of the
County’s transportation system -- especially with
Millennials
– Reduces congestion on existing & future
transportation network, by reducing the number of
trips that parents must make to transport students
– Workforce commuter preparedness
Department of Transportation
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6. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Pilot Program Requirements
• Pass required
• Pass distribution and permission forms maintained and
distributed by FCPS
• Passes valid on Fairfax Connector only
‒ Monday - Friday
‒ 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Parent/guardian permission required
• Adherence to Fairfax Connector rules of conduct
• Provisions for home and private school students who
reside in Fairfax County
Department of Transportation
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7. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Fairfax Connector Responsibilities
• Outreach
– School outreach
– Public outreach
• Pass production
– Printing cost shared with
FCPS
• Operational readiness
– Enhanced bus operator training
– Farebox programming (ridership data)
Department of Transportation
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8. County of Fairfax, Virginia
FCPS Responsibilities
• Pass distribution and tracking
– 6,200 passes distributed to schools
– Passes have a unique serial number; allows schools
to track passes assigned to students
• Regular coordination with FCDOT on school
outreach strategies and pass distribution
Department of Transportation
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9. County of Fairfax, Virginia
In-School Outreach
• Targeted 5 schools based on
– Fairfax Connector bus service access
– Geographic distribution
• Schools
– Chantilly High School (Chantilly)
– Edison High School (Alexandria)
– Madison High School (Vienna)
– Mount Vernon High School (Alexandria)
– South Lakes High School (Reston)
Department of Transportation
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10. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Outreach
• Elizabeth’s Journey: How to Ride
– Featured on Channels 16 & 21; in school media
– Travel training
– Bike & Ride training
– Rules of riding
• “Give respect to get respect”

11. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Outreach
• Web & social media
campaign
• Pre-school Year Events/Open
Houses
– On-site pass sign-up/
distribution
– On-site Fairfax Connector
bus, operator & staff
– Customized map with bus
stop and route information
Department of Transportation
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12. County of Fairfax, Virginia
252
593
1,300
1,845
2,218
2,520
2,499
3,207
3,277
2,663
3,140
3,474
2,346
3,278
3,873
4,004
1,199
1,220
3,284
3,484
1,515
890
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500
08/31-09/06/15
09/07-09/13/15
09/14-09/20/15
09/21-09/27/15
09/28-10/04/15
10/05/10/11/15
10/12-10/18/15
10/19-10/25/15
10/26-11/01/15
11/02-11/08/15
11/09-11/15/15
11/16-11/22/15
11/23-11/29/15
11/30-12/06/15
12/07-12/13/15
12/14-12/20/15
12/21-12/27/15
12/28-01/03/16
01/04-01/10/16
01/11-01/17/16
01/18-01/24/16
01/25-01/31/16
Fairfax Connector Weekly Student Ridership
Major holiday
Severe weather
Department of Transportation
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13. County of Fairfax, Virginia

14. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Department of Transportation
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85
886
8,209
2,930
1,638
1,260
1,493 1,597
2,297 2,402
10,434
7,671
5,206
2,896
1,723
710
356
156 93
5 AM 6 AM 7 AM 8 AM 9 AM 10 AM 11 AM 12 PM 1 PM 2 PM 3 PM 4 PM 5 PM 6 PM 7 PM 8 PM 9 PM 10 PM 11 PM
Student Ridership by Time of Day *
*Total ridership since inception

15. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Student Participation Targeted 5 Schools
Department of Transportation
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Location # of Passes
Distributed
High School
Population
% of Students with
Passes
Chantilly HS 191 2,680 7%
Edison HS 814 1,936 42%
James Madison HS 81 2,109 4%
Mt. Vernon HS 314 1,963 16%
South Lakes HS 943 2,430 39%
TOTALS 2,343 11,118 students 22% (average)
*See handout for pass distribution at all eligible schools

16. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Next Steps: Assess Opinions
• Program impact
– Surveys
• Gather quantitative and qualitative data from
students, parents, school officials, and bus
operators
– Focus Groups
• Allow students to share their ideas for shaping the
program
• Increasing ridership among peers
Department of Transportation
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17. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Next Steps: Assess Challenges
• Student behavior – a non-issue
• Crowding
– Route 551
• 1 complaint, sent bus out immediately for overflow
• Larger bus now accommodates all riders
• Pass “loss”
– Max 2 replacements per student to prevent abuse
• Pass abuse
– No credible reports; all suspicious activity monitored
Department of Transportation
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18. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Next Steps: Recommend
Department of Transportation
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Program
Recommendations
BOS &
School Board
Outreach
Experience
Program
Data
Ridership
& Survey
Data
Lessons
Learned

19. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Next Steps: Improve & Educate
Department of Transportation
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Strengthen inter-
agency
partnerships
Develop targeted
outreach
strategies
Discuss bus
pass integration
with Student ID’s
Review program
hours and days
Educate & Increase
support among
High School and
Middle School
Principals/
Administrators
Presentation to
FCPS School
Board

20. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Next Steps: Refine & Engage
• Board member feedback and approval
• Develop recommendations for SY2016-17
– Pass usage times
• Later than 8pm? Weekends?
• Need to remain cognizant of SLEEP study findings and
FCPS objectives
– New FCPS student ID’s, with photo?
– New schools to focus outreach
– Ways to assist FCPS students served by Metrobus
instead of Fairfax Connector
Department of Transportation
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21. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Next Steps: Refine & Engage
• Refine outreach program
– Update “Elizabeth’s Journey” PSA video
– Update outreach materials
– Robust social media campaign
– Vary the schools for targeted outreach
– Increase in-school and event outreach opportunities
– Parity: include bus pass information/forms with school
parking pass information
Department of Transportation
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22. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Questions?
Department of Transportation
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