Kids can ride Wichita Transit buses for free this summer. Here’s how

Anyone 18 or younger can ride Wichita Transit buses and paratransit vans for free this summer, according to a city release.

The RIDE summer program is providing free rides May 26 through Aug. 31. A single ride pass for youth is normally $1.50. For paratransit, the price goes up to $3.50, according to Wichita Transit’s website.

Riders need to provide a 2021-2022 student ID. Anyone without one can get one for free at the Downtown Wichita Transit Center, 214 S. Topeka 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. All that is required to receive one is proof of age or student verification.

This is the program’s fifth year. Nathaniel Hinkel, Wichita Transit’s senior communications specialist, said that the program’s main mission is to provide summer activities to kids.

“It started out as a part of a program that provided what we called youth enrichment services to kids, basically making sure that all the youth in the community have access to transportation to get to things like jobs, recreation opportunities, daily needs, anything to basically make sure that they have a positive way to use their energy this semester,” Hinkel said.

“It’s been successful in previous years. We had several thousand rides each year but it’s been growing,” Hinkel said.

To learn more about riding Wichita buses, go to the Wichita Transit website.

This story was originally published May 25, 2022 at 5:00 AM.