Supervisor Foley highlights OCTA efforts to address transportation insecurity among OC community college students

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Supervisor Foley released a statement following this morning’s Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board meeting where the Board recognized ten Orange County community colleges for their participation in the OCTA Community College Pass Program. This program gives Orange County community college students access to free or low-cost rides on the OC bus system.

“This program benefits Orange County residents now and into the future by addressing transportation insecurities and creating a public transportation going culture,” said Supervisor Foley. “With an education from Orange County’s excellent community college system, local students are truly the future of our county. But they can only obtain that education if they can make it to the classroom.

“Given that many students have limited financial resources, access to public transit is key to making their education possible. I look forward to continuing to expand transit access to the people who need it most: Orange County’s youth, seniors, and low-income residents. Orange County deserves a modern, efficient, environmentally friendly transit system that is affordable and accessible to all.”

The participating community colleges are: Santa Ana College, Santiago Canyon College, Fullerton College, Golden West College, Cypress College, Coastline College, Saddleback College, Irvine Valley College, Orange Coast College, and Rancho Santiago Canyon Community College District Continuing Education.

“We at Orange Coast College are committed to providing accessibility and equitable opportunities to all our students,”
said Orange Coast College President Dr. Angelica Loera Suarez. “Having this partnership with OCTA builds on that priority for the campus, increasing accessibility by addressing transportation insecurity.”

Supervisor Foley added, “Public transit also allows students to breathe life into our neighborhoods and our economies, as they move from their homes to their campuses, from their campuses to their jobs, from their jobs to their communities.

I extend my thanks to these ten community colleges and to the OCTA Board for supporting both our students and our public transit system.”