Lemoore College launches free transit program to help students get to class and beyond

LEMOORE, Calif. (KFSN) -- Lemoore College is removing one of the biggest barriers to higher education for some students by offering free public transportation through a new partnership with Kings Area Regional Transit, or KART.

For many college students, the cost of attending school extends beyond tuition and textbooks.

Transportation can also create a financial burden, especially for students traveling from surrounding communities.

Student Devin Cardenas knows that challenge firsthand.

"I live in Avenal, so I have to come a bit away, probably 40 minutes drive," Cardenas said.

KART already provided a route between Avenal and Lemoore College, but the cost of repeated trips added up quickly.

"I would be spending $1.75 to go here," Cardenas said. "So that would be back and forth, $3.50 every day."

He traveled to school four days a week, so the cost quickly added up.

While working toward his GED, Cardenas received transit passes through student support services, but those benefits had to be renewed regularly.

Now, a new agreement between Lemoore College and KART allows all enrolled students to ride fixed-route buses free of charge simply by showing their student identification card.

"They just come get a student ID card, and on there, there's a KART emblem on the side," said Lemoore College President James Preston. "They literally walk onto the KART bus, show them a Lemoore College ID. It doesn't matter if they're taking one class or full-time with us; it gives them that access to KART."

College officials say the benefit is designed to support students both academically and personally. In addition to transportation to and from classes, students can use the service to reach jobs, medical appointments, grocery stores and other destinations throughout the area.

For Cardenas, the program represents more than financial savings. He believes it may encourage people who stopped going to college to return.

"I think it's amazing that Lemoore College even offered this," he said. "A lot of people need it."

College leaders hope the free transportation program will improve access to education and help students stay enrolled by eliminating a common obstacle.

The initiative is currently operating as a one-year pilot program funded through an endowment. Lemoore College officials said they will evaluate the program's impact before deciding whether to extend it beyond the initial year.

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