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Hampton Roads Transit launches new webpage to encourage youth ridership

Hampton Roads Transit launches new webpage to encourage youth ridership
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NORFOLK, Va. — Hampton Roads Transit is making changes to their webpage with the hopes of encouraging more young people to take public transportation.

The new webpage will not only give teens, but parents and educators information on everything from field trips to coloring books.

Every year, students 13-17 can sign up for the Student Freedom Pass, which gives these students the ability to ride all modes of transit for free, all year round. The new webpage will have info for teens about the Freedom Pass, as well as details on HRT’s new Student Transit Riders Commission.

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This commission would allow for students to get directly involved in the planning process. Participants can hold meetings with HRT leaders to come up with new ideas for public transportation.

“Kids and young adults are the transit riders of tomorrow,” said William E. Harrell, President and CEO. “With this new tool, we are further engaging this crucial population with programs and opportunities so our youth feel empowered and confident navigating transit in the six cities we serve.”

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If you’re a teacher or a parent, you’ll also be able to find information on field trips and transit talks, along with things like route schedules, maps, and safety tips.

"We want to provide tools where they have information to be able to ride transit and become transit riders in the future. Maybe not every day. But we want that generation to understand the system, [and] know how to use it," Harrell said.