OCTA Youth Ride Free Program
In partnership with Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), Huntington Beach City School District (HBCSD) is sharing important updates to the Youth Ride Free pass program. The program allows passengers ages 6 to 18 to ride all Orange County Bus fixed-route buses every day.
Youth Ride Free passes currently loaded on Wave cards will expire September 30, 2026. To keep riding free, parents/guardians must renew before that date by creating a Wave account and submitting a new Youth Ride Free application on the OCTA Youth Ride Free Website. Once approved, the new pass will load directly onto the existing Wave card, no replacement card is needed.
Please note: OCTA will no longer be mailing Wave cards to school districts this year. Families who do not have a card may request one during the application process, and it will be mailed directly to them.
To help with the transition, OCTA is hosting a Wave Open House from 2:30–4:30 p.m. on September 10 at OCTA headquarters (500 S. Main Street, Orange). OCTA staff will help families create Wave accounts, answer eligibility questions, and assist with the Youth Ride Free application. Both the parent/guardian and student must attend and bring a copy of the student's eligibility documents. Eligibility details are available on the OCTA Youth Ride Free Website.
For additional information and for discounted bus passes, visit the OCTA website.