Supporting Commuter Students

MBTA Youth Pass: The MBTA Youth Pass offers reduced fares to young adults with low income. Students must be between the ages of 18 and 25 (those in high school may obtain a Student CharlieCard) and be enrolled in an approved state or federal benefit program such as MASSGrant, MassHealth, or SNAP. Youth may receive roughly 50% reduced one-way fares, or $30 monthly LinkPasses for unlimited bus and subway travel. The City of Boston offers additional information on Youth Pass benefits.

Some colleges offer meal plans for commuters, discounts, and parking passes. Encourage or assist students in learning about these resources.
Students should leave plenty of time to get to campus, find parking (if necessary), and get to class. This might include doing a practice run of their commute on the days and times they will need to be on campus. It may be helpful for students to learn additional routes to campus in case there are traffic or transit delays.
Encourage students to maximize commute time and long gaps between classes. They can download class reading as an audiobook and listen between classes or in transit, and use breaks between classes to get ahead of (or catch up on) their coursework.
Students may be more likely to thrive if they feel connected to their school community. Encourage students to explore student groups, college events, and social gatherings (even virtually). Assist students in finding social outlets that connect with something they are interested in or with which they identify (this may include Success Boston student groups). Students can learn more at their student activity center – some schools have social resources specifically for commuters.