Do your teens need a way to get around this summer? Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission’s (PRTC) MyLink Teen Summer Bus Pass is back.
PRTC provides local and commuter bus service for individuals in Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park.
The summer bus pass allows teens to travel in the Prince William County area without having to rely on their parents for a ride.
“In a 2016 survey, 69% of teens who used a MyLink pass last summer said they bought it because they didn’t have a driver’s license. Half said they used their pass to spend time with friends and get to summer school or other school-related activities,” stated a release.
The passes are loaded for teens onto SmartTrip cards, and are on sale at the PRTC Transit Center in Woodbridge.
“Now in its 10th year, the MyLink program is offered by the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC). The pass enables those ages 13-19 to get unlimited local bus rides for three months for one low price. In addition, teens can use their MyLink pass to get discounted fares when traveling on PRTC buses to nearby Metro stations and Washington, D.C.,” stated a release.
The passes are valid through September 2 and cost $30 with an existing SmartTrip card or an additional $2 to provide a card.
More on the summer bus pass program, from a release:
“I have used this for the past several years and there is no way I would have been as successful in my academics, job, or even athletics,” one MyLink pass holder told PRTC in the 2016 survey.
When riding locally, teens simply tap their SmarTrip card to the farebox on the bus. The farebox recognizes the MyLink pass for local travel and does not charge a fare. When traveling outside the local area, MyLink pass holders receive credit for the local fare and only pay the difference between the local and commuter fares.
PRTC’s one-way local fare is currently $1.50, and will increase to $1.55 as of June 26, 2017. At that rate, a teen who takes more than 10 local round-trips over the summer will save money with a MyLink pass.
All PRTC buses run Monday through Friday, and some routes offer Saturday service. Local OmniLink routes serve Dale City, Dumfries, Manassas, Manassas Park, the Route 1 Corridor, and Woodbridge/Lake Ridge. There is also Cross County Connector bus service connecting eastern Prince William with the Manassas area.
Routes travelling outside the region include Metro Direct buses serving the Franconia-Springfield and Tysons Corner Metro stations, as well as OmniRide commuter buses to Washington, D.C., the Pentagon, and points in Northern Virginia including Tysons Corner and the Mark Center.
