To combat chronic absenteeism, the San Antonio City Council entered into a $150,000 funding agreement between the city and VIA Metropolitan Transit on Jan. 15 to launch a pilot program that provides middle school and high school students with VIA bus passes for a semester.

The gist

According to city documents, the pilot program will cover the costs of VIA semester bus passes at $28.50 per student, providing free transportation to more than 5,200 students ages 12-18.

To apply for free bus passes, students must complete a form available on VIAinfo.net or at VIA’s transit centers and obtain signatures from their educational institution.

VIA will oversee the program as part of its current bus fare program, which currently provides semester bus passes for students for $28.50 a semester. The pilot program will begin retroactively Dec. 20, 2025, and end once all funding has been used.

Funding for the pilot program will be taken from the fiscal year 2026-27 general fund operating budget.