STOCKTON — In partnership with San Joaquin Delta College, San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD) will offer free unlimited transit for all Delta College students beginning Aug. 23, 2021.    

The one-year program offers Delta students the use of RTD transit to go anywhere fixed-route services can take them.  

To ride free, students must obtain new Delta College issued student ID cards with barcodes that they will scan when boarding buses.  RTD Bus Rapid Transit Route 40 stops in front of Delta College and is a fast, reliable, and safe service that runs every weekday with 15 minute frequency from 6:10 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.  

Delta students should check their email for instructions on how to obtain their new ID cards. 

“I have always had a passion for education, and we are thrilled to partner with Delta College to remove transportation as a potential barrier to education,” said RTD CEO Gloria Salazar.   

In addition to traveling to and from the College, students may use their student ID to gain free access to transportation throughout the County.  “This partnership will also help us to gather valuable ridership data as a part of our ongoing efforts to learn the travel patterns and behavior to better serve our community,” CEO Salazar said. 

The Aug. 23 launch of the free transit partnership also marks the start of Fall Semester at Delta College, and the return of more in-person classes and services. Delta College Superintendent/President Dr. Omid Pourzanjani said many Delta students face challenging financial circumstances and may not previously have had the means to travel to the College or around the community. 

“We are excited about a partnership that will provide not only access to education, but also employment opportunities and more for our students,” Dr. Pourzanjani said. “We must do everything we can to support them and help them reach their goals. Equal access to quality, affordable transportation is key to the economic and social wellbeing of our entire community.” 

This partnership also supports one of RTD’s core values, which includes a commitment to environmental sustainability.  Studies published by University of Kansas—Lawrence Campus and University of Nebraska at Omaha have noted the benefits of alternative transportation over single-occupancy vehicles to not only decrease the need for additional parking structures on college campuses, but also to improve air quality for the community.