City of Racine – Local institutions of education have partnered with RYDE Racine to provide transit services in order to get students to the classroom. After almost a two year hiatus from such a partnership due to COVID-19, Racine Unified School District and Gateway Technical College will utilize the City of Racine’s public transportation system to transport students from home to school or campus and back.
RYDE Racine will make available to Racine Unified its existing routes. In addition to its current routes and frequency, supplemental school routes will be provided based upon Racine Unified School District’s school schedule. These services will be provided Mondays through Fridays, with the exception of days when school is not in session.
According to state requirements, Racine Unified School District offers free transportation to families living outside a two-mile radius of their child’s boundary school, but not for those inside that radius. Because of this students and their families can also purchase bus passes at a discounted, month-to-month rate. Parents can buy the passes at Racine Unified School District’s administration building. They can only be used on school days for travel to and from school, and will be cheaper in months without a full-class schedule.
“We are happy to partner once again with RYDE to provide transportation to and from school for some of our students,” said RUSD Superintendent Dr. Eric Gallien. “Additionally, I’m excited that families will be able to purchase discounted bus passes. We know that school attendance directly impacts student achievement, so we need our children to be in school every day. We’re grateful for the city’s partnership in helping make this happen.”
Racine Unified School District’s Transportation Office sells passes on behalf of the City of Racine to parents or guardians at the RUSD Administrative Building B, located at 3109 Mt. Pleasant St. If there are questions, please contact RUSD Transportation at 262-631-7138.
A New Partnership
In addition to renewing the partnership between RUSD and the City of Racine, Gateway Technical College will also provide access to RYDE Racine’s transit services. Students of the region’s technical college will be eligible to receive an annual pass for fixed-route public transportation services, a new benefit of being enrolled at Gateway. This two year program will provide 300 student passes per year.
“Providing access to Gateway services speaks directly to our mission,” said Gateway Technical College President and CEO Bryan Albrecht. “We are proud to partner with the City of Racine to expand student mobility through bus passes and increased utilization of the city transit system.”
The final touches are being put on the method and timing to distribute the bus passes to Gateway students. Gateway’s first official day of the Fall 2022 semester is September 6, and those interested should keep checking the Gateway website for further information at www.gtc.edu.
“The City of Racine understands it must play a role in expanding access to education and breaking down barriers. Transportation access to quality public education is critical to the success of our community. From longstanding partnerships to new, innovative ones, the RYDE Racine is ready to take students where they need to go,” stated Mayor Mason.
