Did you know that Pinellas scholars and staff can get around town on city buses and trolleys for FREE?
That’s right. If you attend or work at a Pinellas County school, you can ride for free thanks to a program from the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA). The Universal Pass (UPASS) program, “lets any student, staff, or faculty with a Pinellas County school ID ride any PSTA route for free. There are no limits,” said Stephanie Weaver, the communications and public relations manager for PSTA. “Just show the driver your card.”
ID cards from last school year are still valid for now. New cards will begin arriving at John Hopkins a few weeks after school picture days, which are Sept. 24 and 25.
Substitute teachers can also get free rides, but they must show a substitute teacher slip. School volunteers can ride with valid Level 1 and 2 badges.
The free rides are available even when school is not in session. “It can be weekends, weeknights, holidays or even over summer break. All you must do is show your school ID,” said Ms. Weaver. You can even ride to Hillsborough County. “Just make sure that it is a PSTA bus,” she said
The buses are also a “certified safe place,” according to Ms. Weaver. Anyone who needs help for any kind of reason, “can just hop on the bus and the operators can call authorities and make sure that you are safe.”
