ECAT is continuing to work on enhancing the Annual Summer Youth Pass Program that was originally created and approved by the Board on April 18, 2013. On April 29, 2014, the Board approved making it an annual program. ECAT is requesting approval to increase the maximum age, from 17 to 18 years old, for the Annual Summer Youth Pass Program, which will allow high school students who have already turned 18 to participate in the program. The Summer Youth Pass, which will be sold for $25, will allow young people to ride the bus at any time between Memorial Day and Labor Day. This campaign will ultimately increase ECAT's ridership as the young people of our community discover the benefits of using our transit system. As in past years, the program's discount pass is intended to encourage Escambia County’s youth to utilize public transit during the summer months. This will give young people the opportunity to travel to summer school programs, community centers, camps, recreational facilities, and other places of interest within Escambia County that they were unable to reach before.
 
ECAT will coordinate with the Escambia County Neighborhood Redevelopment Department and the Pensacola Parks and Recreation Department in order to provide information to Escambia County Schools and Community Centers. ECAT plans to work one-on-one with area community centers because they offer excellent summer camps and educational/recreational programs; many of the young people already enrolled would benefit from the summer pass. As part of the promotions for the Summer Youth Pass Program, ECAT would like to provide information about these community centers and other places of interest. The promotional campaign will include a combination of website, radio, newspaper, and poster promotions, and will begin upon BCC approval.
 
The Annual Summer Youth Pass Program will be valid from Memorial Day through Labor Day each year and available to passengers 18 years of age and under. Advance sales of summer bus passes is tentatively scheduled to begin on May 23, 2016, at ECAT Administrative Offices during normal business hours.