The City of Guelph says as of March 1, kids aged five to 12 years old can ride Guelph Transit for free with a registered OnYourWay fare card.
Child fare cards themselves are free until March 1, but will cost $5 after that. Parents are encouraged to get cards for their children before the end of the month to avoid the fee.
The city said the one-year pilot program will run until Feb. 28, 2023.
The city will then keep track of data collected via fare cards to understand how often the program was used to evaluate its success.
The program was first approved by city council in December 2021 at a cost of $125,000 as a way to give families an incentive to use public transit.
The proposal was introduced by Mayor Cam Guthrie and narrowly won the support of councillors in a 7-6 vote.
Children four and under can continue to ride on Guelph Transit buses for free without a fare card.
More information on getting a fare card and registering can be found on the City of Guelph’s website.