FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Deekay Fox
Office: (661) 869-6304
Cell: (661) 378-2353
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 17, 2019
Golden Empire Transit Summer Youth Passes Available for Purchase
Bakersfield, CA —Golden Empire Transit District (GET) is now selling its popular Summer Youth Pass (SYP). The twenty-dollar pass provides unlimited rides during the month of purchase and will be available to riders six to 20 years old for use in May, June, July, and August.
A 2017 GET Customer and Community Satisfaction Survey found 37 percent of surveyed riders were six to 24 years old, with students making up the largest occupation category. To support this key customer group, GET sees the importance of providing discounted fares for students and children older than six years of age during a time of the year when independent travel is often needed for summer school, child care, or summer jobs. Passes are available for purchase now, and the May pass will be available for use beginning May 1.
“The Summer Youth Pass Program provides a safe and affordable travel option for Bakersfield’s youth,” said Karen King, GET’s CEO. “Summer vacation provides an excellent opportunity for students to learn the skill of independent travel, which can be extremely helpful when parents or caregivers are working and teens need to travel.”
The SYP is available for purchase by youth and/or caregivers of youth riders on mobile devices through the Token Transit app available on Google Play and at the Apple App Store. Caregivers and family members or friends of students can even “send a pass” from Token Transit to riders by entering the recipient’s phone number at the time of purchase. Primary, secondary, and college-aged riders and their parents or caregivers can also purchase passes at the GET main office and the Downtown Transit Center.
GET will be hosting a SYP social media contest on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter beginning May 1 for all SYP customers. Riders who post photos and stories of how they are using the pass along with the hashtag #GETSYP (e.g., going to the movies, park, school, or summer job) will be entered to win a free 2019 Summer Youth Pass. The winners will be drawn at random.
GET was formed in July 1973 and is the primary public transportation provider for the Bakersfield Urbanized Area. It is the largest public transit system within a 110-mile radius. The District’s legal boundary includes Bakersfield city limits as well as adjacent unincorporated areas. GET has a fleet of 90 compressed natural gas buses equipped with wheelchair lifts and bike racks. GET services 16 routes, which operate 7 days a week and transport more than 6 million passengers each year with its fixed route buses. In addition, GET operates 21 compressed natural gas GET-A-Lift buses. GET has an economic impact; every $1.00 GET spends and invests creates $5.80 in return. The International Standards Organization formally recognizes GET for its certified Environmental Management System. For more information, visit www.getbus.org or call 869.2GET (2438).
