Free Orca Cards Give Seattle Students Access To 1/3 Of State

SEATTLE, WA - Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan has come through on a promise to give free year-round ORCA cards to Seattle high school students. She signed her ORCA Opportunity legislation on Tuesday, and when students get the cards in the new school year, they'll have access to more than just the Seattle area.

According to Sound Transit, the students will be able to use ORCA cards with any transit agency that accepts them. That includes King County Metro, Kitsap Transit, Everett Transit, Snohomish County's Community Transit, Pierce Transit, the water taxi, Seattle Streetcar, and Sound Transit.

That's a transit area that spans Stanwood to Spanaway from north to south, and from Silverdale to North Bend west to east.

The free ORCA cards will be paid for with money from the Seattle Transportation Benefit District, which is funded by a portion of sales tax and car tab fees. Durkan's legislation, which was approved 8-0 by the City Council, will also fund expansion of RapidRide bus lines and other bus infrastructure upgrades.

The ORCA card contract with local transit agencies expires at the end of 2021, but Sound Transit spokeswoman Kimberly Reason said that would not disrupt Durkan's program. The ORCA card contract (the system is run by a company called Vix Technology) will likely be extended through 2022 while improvements are made, Reason said.

Of course, the mobility of Seattle students will be limited by bus schedules. According to Google Maps, it would take a person close to three hours and three transfers to get from Westlake in downtown Seattle to Stanwood by bus. A trip to Illahee State Park in Bremerton is a little better at about 1-1/2 hours (if the Kitsap Fast Ferry is working).

Image courtesy Sound Transit