Rachael Royal is both a student and part-time employee at El Centro College. Since her school participates in Dallas Area Rapid Transit's Higher Education Pass Program and purchases the passes for students, Royal has been able to ride DART for free to the downtown Dallas school since 2012.
"Many students would not be able to attend school if they had to provide their own transportation," said Royal. "I happen to be one of those students. I am extremely grateful that transportation is not an obstacle for me to achieve my academic and personal goals."
El Centro College has participated in DART's Higher Education Pass Program since 1997. Earlier this year, Dallas County Community College District Board of Trustees approved funds totaling $1.2 million to provide free DART passes for eligible students at all DCCCD colleges. To be eligible, students must be enrolled in six or more credit hours for either the fall or spring semester, and they must be enrolled in three or more credit hours during the summer semester.
Continuing education students who attend any of DCCCD's colleges also can obtain the free DART Student GoPass if they are enrolled in 96 or more contact hours for either the fall or spring semester or in 48 or more contact hours for the summer semester.
"Student success is a key priority for the Dallas County Community College District. We know that removing barriers gives our students a chance to go to college, earn a credential and start a career," said Dr. Joe May, DCCCD's chancellor. "Transportation is a big barrier for many of our students, and our partnership with DART to provide a Student GoPass to those who are eligible is one way to remove that obstacle."
Kenneth Banosperez, president of the Student Government Association at Brookhaven College applauds the board of trustees' decision to expand the program to all DCCCD schools. He said a lot of his fellow students depend on DART to get to school.
"As a member of the Brookhaven Student Government, I hear the concerns of our students. One of those concerns is accessibility to a safe mode of transportation on and off campus," Banosperez said. "More and more students on campus realize the convenience DART provides. As the popularity has risen so has the demand for free rides for students."
DCCCD students will obtain their student passes on DART's mobile app, GoPass. With this pass, they will be able to ride all local DART bus routes, light rail and the Trinity Railway Express from Union Station to CentrePort/DFW Airport Station.
Student GoPass holders also can use their pass to visit other locations or attend events throughout the DART service area.
"The freedom to visit different areas of Dallas and its suburbs alike give us as students a sense of community and involvement," said Banosperez. "Being able to travel freely in a city which we love allows us to discover the possibilities that lie within our local communities."
