THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 16, 1994 TAG: 9406160487
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANCIE LATOUR, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940616 LENGTH: Medium
``It makes me feel better that I can go wherever I want, whenever I want,'' said Morgan, 14, who won't be relying on Mom or Dad to get to her flute lessons or to Wildwater Rapids.
{REST} This month, Tidewater Regional Transit launched its Summer Youth Pass for teens. From now until Labor Day, kids ages 12-18 will have unlimited use of any TRT bus, Maxi-Ride service, Elizabeth River Ferry or Oceanfront trolley for $35.
Passes are available at 17 area Farm Fresh stores, TRT's office on 1500 Monticello Ave. in Norfolk and its traveling Mobile Sales Outlet.
The all-purpose transit card can be used for more than a ride: McDonald's restaurants, AMC Theatres, Ocean Breeze Fun Park and Nauticus will honor the cards for free or discounted items.
The youth pass is the first of its kind the transit authority has offered. In designing it, TRT hopes to increase ridership and revenue and rejuvenate a bus system plagued by cutbacks and a growing stigma as inconvenient and unsafe.
Most recently, the City of Norfolk refused to bail TRT out of a $300,000 debt, forcing the bus line to cut five city routes.
For a model to revamp its image, TRT turned to Salt Lake City, where the Utah Transit Authority has had a summer youth pass in effect for seven years. The $20 unlimited pass, also supported by local sponsors, went from 1,800 sold in 1987 to 8,000 in 1993.
TRT is shooting to attract 1,600 pass riders from a pool of more than 60,000 South Hampton Roads teenagers. Ticket sales began May 27. About 30 have been sold so far at TRT's main office, according to Linda Minner, TRT marketing coordinator. Sales at other locations haven't been tallied yet.
To spark involvement, the transit authority asked four high school art classes to choose the final design for the wallet-sized card - a purple and yellow jagged-edged background that highlights a cartoon kid riding the bus like a surfboard.
Though the pass service began June 1, parents and school administrators, including Portsmouth Superintendent of Schools Richard D. Trumble, have already begun to urge TRT to extend the deal, or another one like it, into the academic year.
Minner said that is unlikely to happen yet.
``The youth pass was designed because kids have free time on their hands,'' she said. ``While we're encouraged by the response, we will have to evaluate the program at the end of the summer, and see how it could better benefit the community.''
Melanie is already saving another $35 in case TRT decides to carry it into the fall.
``I haven't heard about it going into the rest of the year. But I know I would use it if it was,'' she said.
The soon-to-be freshman at Cox High School has more incentive than most teens to take advantage of TRT's summer bargain: Her mother, Christine Morgan, is an art director at Hambright, Calcagno & Downing, the marketing firm hired by TRT to bring the project to life.
For Christine Morgan, the program's greatest payback will outlive a summer of free Cokes for her daughter.
An early start on public transportation, she says, could change the image of riding the bus for a new generation of South Hampton Roads commuters.
``This area has a general conception that a lot of perverts and bag ladies ride it, and it's just not true,'' Morgan said. ``But young kids don't have these prejudices. Kids are always bored, and their wish for something to do might override the hesitancy of trying something new.''
by CNB