Starting Sept. 1, children 12 and under to ride free on transit in B.C.

Starting Sept. 1, children 12 and under will be eligible to ride on any BC Transit or TransLink service for free.

B.C. Premier John Horgan said this could save some families about $687 a year if they are currently buying a $57 monthly TransLink pass.

There are a few exceptions, however.

Anyone 12 and under who wants to travel on a TransLink fare-gated service, such as Skytrain, SeaBus and the West Coast Express, must be accompanied by a fare-paying customer who will be required to tap children through the fare gates, up to four children.

Children can continue to access the gated systems by themselves with the purchase of a fare to tap through the gates.

2:02 Maiden voyage for new TransLink Seabus MV Burrard Chinook

It is estimated that approximately 370,000 children 12 and under throughout B.C. will be eligible to ride for free when the program is launched.

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It is also hoped that children will be used to riding transit and use it more frequently as they grow up, especially in light of the recent report on climate change released by the United Nations Monday.

Starting Sept. 1, children 12 and under will also be able to register for HandyDART if necessary and will be able to accompany a registered HandyDART user for free.

On B.C. Transit, unaccompanied children aged six to 12 will be able to ride buses and HandyDART for free, without requiring a fare product or identification. Children aged five and under must be accompanied by a person 12 or older.

“It is my hope that by making public transit more affordable, this program will encourage families to take transit more frequently, give children the opportunity to see public transit as a comfortable, reliable way to get around, and serve as an important part of our efforts to reduce carbon emissions,” Kevin Quinn, the CEO of TransLink said in a release.