Veterans receive permanent bus pass
By Lavonte Dukes
Outlook Writer
The Tallahassee City Commission approved the Veterans Bus Pass Program on Nov. 24, allowing low-income and homeless veterans to ride on StarMetro buses for free.
A chance to give back certainly shows some gratitude to Veterans, especially the homeless, who might not receive it.
Veterans who are unable to access frequent transportation when needed, will be able to take full advantage of the program.
In October 2014, the veterans bus pass started as an experimental process to provide free transportation on StarMetro’s fixed bus routes for veterans who lack adequate transportation.
This program will continue to help connect local veterans with various services and resources, that they may not be able to access without any form of transportation.
According to Talgov.com, since the experiment‘s commencement, 446 annual bus passes have been distributed through the program, providing more than 60,000 trips for veterans on the StarMetro system.
“As one of the most veteran-friendly communities in America, we are proud to work every day to meet the needs of those that have valiantly served our country,” said Mayor Andrew Gillum.
Gillum proceeded to say that the continuation of the Veterans Bus Pass Program’s pioneering approach would link our community’s veterans with the services and resources they need.
He hopes to continue this success of the program for our veterans.
There are certain qualifications for these veterans to obtain this pass which include: being a permanent resident of the City of Tallahassee or Leon County within StarMetro’s fixed route coverage area.
Veterans who are qualified would be issued a smart card with their name on it. Each time riding, the veteran will need to provide their VA Health Care ID.
For more information regarding the qualifications and criteria along with the application please be sure to visit: https://www.talgov.com/Uploads/Public/Documents/starmetro/pdf/veteran_bus_pass_application.pdf.
