SAN ANTONIO – As students head back to school next week, parents across San Antonio are lining up daily plans to get kids to and from class. It’s a routine that can become a major obstacle when reliable transportation is out of reach.
A report from Attendance Works, a nonprofit focused on reducing chronic absenteeism, lists transportation among the factors that can contribute to students repeatedly missing school.
At Triumph Public High School, where students can take classes outside traditional school hours, students say the flexibility can also mean they have to solve their own commute.
Timothy Blevins, a student at Triumph, said worries about getting to class eased when he started using the Via Student Pass.
“It’s a huge weight off of my chest, just like finally got lifted off,” Blevins said.
Before the new program, students said even the cheapest option could be difficult.
VIA’s regular fare is $1.30 each way. A student semester pass costs $38. Students without jobs said that can still be a strain.
“I used to worry a lot about it, like sometimes I wouldn’t even have a dollar,” Santana De La Cruz, also a Triumph student, said.
Some students relied on rideshares instead.
“It’s around like 17 to 20 bucks to at least get here,” Blevins said. He said in total, it costs about $30-$40 per day.
District 7 Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito said transportation is a key factor when the city looks at chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10% or more of the school year.
“Transportation is so important, and when we see the issue that we have in San Antonio of chronic absenteeism. … We know that if they’re not in school, they’re not set up to succeed later on,” Alderete Gavito said.
Her office partnered with VIA to offer free annual bus passes for students ages 12 to 18.
“This is open to all students, whether it’s public school, charter school, private school,” she said.
Alderete Gavito said the passes are meant to help students get to school consistently, while also supporting transportation needs beyond the classroom.
“They can also use this for summer jobs that they have, internships,” she said.
How to register
Students can register for the free pass through VIA’s student passes website. Students who are 12 will need a parent or guardian to submit the application.
“District 7 backed the initiative with a $150,000 investment to fund passes, allowing VIA to establish the program,” Alderete Gavito’s office said.
The pass will be valid through July 2027.
“It makes me worry less about the money,” De La Cruz said.
“No spending money on Ubers, trust me, that’s a lot of cash to spend,” Blevins said.
The student pass is also available for students who have access to public transportation but may want a backup option.
Two local school districts, North East ISD and San Antonio ISD, reported between 19% and 36% of their student populations were chronically absent in the most recent school year.
NEISD reports 11,554 students were chronically absent out of 58,487 students (19.8%) in the 2025-2026 school year. In the same time frame, SAISD reports 15,607 students were chronically absent out of their 42,385 students (36.8%).
The goal, Alderete Gavito said, is to remove transportation as a barrier for students who are trying to get an education.
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