Through a partnership with the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, students, faculty and staff at Seminole State College of Florida can now enjoy unlimited rides on Lynx buses for free.
“We are excited to partner with Lynx to offer free public transit to our students and employees,” said Dr. Jan Lloyd, associate vice president of Student Development who spearheaded the project for Seminole State. “Through our emergency aid program, we had been providing bus passes to students who told us they had difficulty attending class due to transportation issues. This partnership will allow us to reach more students by meeting a practical need that is directly related to increasing access and retention in college.”
Sophomore Glenn Stuart, who rides a Lynx bus to attend classes on Seminole State’s Sanford/Lake Mary Campus, says he’s thrilled that bus rides will now be free for him and other students. “This new partnership will have a huge impact on Seminole State students, especially students who are lower-income and face challenges traveling to and from campus every day,” he said.
The free service is accessible through the Lynx PawPass mobile app available for download on Android and iOS devices. With the app, current employees and currently enrolled students will access a mobile ticket, and then ride the bus for free by showing their ticket and their Seminole State ID before boarding.
“As I have stated many times and it still rings true, public transportation is about providing access, which in turn provides opportunity for the entire community,” said Lynx CEO Edward Johnson. “This is why we are establishing transportation partnerships with colleges and universities, like Seminole State. Together we can remove a hurdle and provide the opportunity to make a difference in the Central Florida region.”
Seminole State will fund the bus service for its students and employees, according to the agreement, which includes free rides on all Lynx fixed routes and NeighborLink routes at times when Lynx is in service. There are already Lynx bus stops at each of Seminole State’s four campuses.
“This is a great option for our students and employees who need transportation not only to and from our campuses, but anywhere Lynx provides service,” Lloyd said. “We’re hopeful that many will take advantage of it.”
