Riders eligible for the Gainesville Regional Transit System (RTS) Fare-Free Transit Program will be required to show an RTS identification card to ride at no cost starting March 1.

According to a city of Gainesville release, the RTS ID cards will be available at no charge and riders can apply online for the digital card at www.go-rts.com. To obtain a physical ID card, riders must visit the RTS administrative headquarters at 34 SE 13^th Rd.

The city of Gainesville Transportation Department originally announced this new requirement in October 2024 to reduce fraud and address budget constraints due to reductions in local, state and federal funding.

Through February, signage will be posted on buses during the educational grace period to help riders familiarize themselves with the new ID card requirement.

The city launched the Fare-Free Transit Program in 2021, which offers free bus fares for riders 65 and older and 18 and younger, after it entered into an agreement with Alachua County to split the program’s $230,000 annual cost. The program has been renewed every year since 2021.

Since the program’s launch over the past three fiscal years, RTS has recorded over 1.6 million trips to eligible riders.