Washington, DC – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that new Kids Ride Free SmarTrip cards for the 2022-2023 School Year will be available for pickup by students by the week of August 29, which marks the first week of DC Public Schools. New students will be given first priority at their schools to pick up new Kids Ride Free SmarTrip cards. School year 2021-2022 Kids Ride Free SmarTrip cards (purple cards) will remain valid through September 30, 2022. Students who have lost or misplaced their 2021-2022 card can request a replacement card from their School ID administrator. Replacement cards will also be distributed at District Department of Transportation (DDOT) headquarters (250 M Street SE) on Wednesdays through August 24 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Students will need to bring their student ID number.
“Whether students are traveling to school, sports, internships, or more – Kids Ride Free makes it easy and free to use the train, Metrobus, or Circulator,” said Mayor Bowser. “We want all students to take advantage of this critical program so that they can have a fantastic school year and their families can save hundreds of dollars.”
As a councilmember, Mayor Bowser established and championed Kids Ride Free to ensure that District students can get to and from school and school-related activities for free on Metrobus, Metrorail, and the DC Circulator.
Over the next few weeks, cards are being sent directly to all DC Public Schools and DC public charter schools for distribution, allowing families to pick up cards directly from their child’s school. Once students receive their cards, they are encouraged to use them at all times within the Metro system in order to track the program’s usage and ensure compliance with Metro policies. To be eligible for participation in the Kids Ride Free program, each student must be:
- A resident of Washington, DC; and
- Ages 5 through 21*; and
- Enrolled in an elementary or secondary public, public charter, private, or parochial school located within the District, or youth in the care of the District.
*Children under the age of five may travel for free with a paying passenger.
For additional information and Frequently Asked Questions about the Kids Ride Free program, please visit kidsridefree.dc.gov and watch this Kids Ride Free video. Families may also contact their School ID Administrator or DDOT’s School Transit Subsidy Program Office at (202) 673-1740.
School Year 2022-23 Kids Ride Free Card Design:
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