For the second time in a row, De Lijn allows Flemish students who start in the first secondary school in September to travel by bus and tram for free throughout the month. With a free Buzzy Pazz trial subscription worth EUR 33, De Lijn wants to promote the choice for a safe and sustainable commuter traffic at a pivotal moment in the school career.
According to Passenger Transport Magazine 14.513 students have subscribed to this free trial subscription via the online platform. That is more than 22% of the 64.533 students who were contacted. They can take the bus or tram unlimited from Sunday 1 September to Monday 30 September 2019, including on weekends and for trips other than to school.
In early June, De Lijn launched a free trial subscription for all students in Flanders who start in September in the first secondary. The promotion comes after a successful try-out for the 2018-19 school year. Interested parties could apply for the subscription online. The subscription period for this was closed on 18 August.
In total, De Lijn received 14.513 applications. 649 of these are for children who were not born in 2007, but still start in the first secondary. They are also eligible, as most applicants have already received their subscription on a magnetic card. The late applicants will receive this on the bus by 28 August at the latest.
Roger Kesteloot, director general of De Lijn:
“It is important to introduce young people to the possibilities of public transport at an early stage. This way they will easily find their way to our offer later. We are therefore pleased that with our free trial action we can give 14.513 students a boost. ”
The transition from primary to secondary school is an important pivotal moment for young people and their parents. This is often accompanied by the choice of a new school and therefore an adapted route and means of transport.
De Lijn has actually noticed a substantial increase in the number of youth subscriptions during the transition to secondary school. Almost 9% of all 11-year-old Flemish students have a De Lijn youth subscription. From the age of 12 there is a remarkable increase: almost 31% are holders of a Buzzy Pazz subscription.
For the entire population of Flemish students aged 12-17, this even increases to a share of 34%. This means that one in three Flemish students regularly takes the bus or tram.
In addition, travelers under the age of 18 account for 23% of De Lijn's journeys. On a monthly basis, they make an average of 27,3 trips with De Lijn buses or trams.
The Buzzy Pazz is De Lijn's youth season ticket for travelers aged 6 to 24. A Buzzy Pazz is valid on all buses and trams of De Lijn, on school days, but also during weekends and holidays. A monthly subscription costs 33 €, an annual subscription 54 € (-12 years) and 212 € (12-24 years).
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