Eau Claire Transit to Let Children Ride for Free in 2026

Eau Claire Transit will allow kids 18 years and younger to ride buses and use the new Northern Lite service for free starting next month.

According to a press release, the new Eau Claire Transit policy will officially go into effect on January 1st. Kids 18 years old or younger will be allowed to ride buses in the area any time and going anywhere for free.

City officials have been working to expand local public transportation options for months as well as increase overall ridership. Earlier this year, the long-awaited downtown transfer center officially opened to improve both access and available amenities for those using public transportation.

The City also launched a new pilot program called Northern Lite this year, which provides on-demand shared rides for residents who don’t have easy access to the public transportation system. The pilot program is currently scheduled to be available through next summer.

Under the new policy, younger children will be allowed to hop on the bus anytime without showing a pass or student ID. Older kids will need to keep their student ID handy to take advantage of the free rides. Children must also be at least 13 years old to use the Northern Lite service on their own.

The goal of the free rides for kids is to expand ridership now and show those kids how useful the public transit system can be. The hope is that they’ll continue to use the transit system as adults even if they have to start paying the fare.