Trending
Amtran plans to expand its rider discount for young people from summer only to year-round.
The idea came from a driver who encountered a single mother with multiple children who expressed her appreciation for the summer discount, because it made trips around town with her family so much easier, agency CEO Josh Baker said at a meeting this week.
The discount applies to customers ages 7 through 20, allowing them to ride all day for $1, for significantly steeper savings than the discount that now applies during the rest of 2023 to riders in that age group: $1.10 for every trip -- 55 cents cheaper than adult fare.
There is no charge for riders under 7.
Extending the summer youth discount will give young families who don't always have access to a car more flexibility for going to medical appointments and the supermarket, Baker said.
The money they currently spend on such trips adds up when there are multiple kids, he said.
Extending the discount will also encourage those young kids to become comfortable riding the bus, Baker said.
"It will train them," said board member Larry Bilotto.
PennDOT and the Federal Transit Administration will be informed of the plan, Baker said.
The program will start in January, and will likely require board approval, according to Baker.
"It's a great idea," said board member Denny Stewart.
The agency currently validates the summer youth discount by stamping paper all-day passes for qualifying customers.
It will probably create an actual card that it can provide to qualifying customers for the year-round discount, Baker said.
Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.