Kids need somewhere to go — and a way to get there.

It’s no secret that youth mental health is in trouble. The biggest driver? Isolation. As summer approached and kids prepared to leave the security of school with their peers, Valley Regional Transit and the City of Boise joined up to connect them with the activities, jobs, and opportunities that make a good summer. They created Youth Ride Free, a program so all kids could experience the freedom of public transportation.

Two bus passes with Lil Rider stickers on them

A poster that says Youth Ride Free! There is information about the program on it with a Lil Rider hanging on to a bus pole inside the bus.

THE SOLUTION

Give the bus a face parents (and kids) could trust.

Parents had to see public transportation as an actual option. That’s tough in Boise, a car-centric city where bus misconceptions run rampant.

Put my kid on a PUBLIC bus? No way.

Okay, okay, that’s a little extreme. But the reality is Hollywood created an uphill battle for buses in a midsize city.

Here’s the rub: The bus in Boise really is nice, comfy, safe, and clean. We just had to help parents and kids see it that way.

Lil Rider holding his hands in the shape of a heart.

Lil rider riding the bus like a horse while wearing a cowboy hat.

Enter Lil Rider. A pudgy little character born to help kids navigate the city and give parents confidence in the ride.

We helped Lil Rider show up all over — posters in local businesses, bus passes stamped with his face, and a steady presence on social media. (Plushies come next.)

A man wearing a shirt with a front pocket, Lil Rider is peeking out of the pocket

THE RESULTS

One little guy changed a lot of minds.

Lil Rider took on a life of his own. 800+ sign-ups in the first 2 weeks. About 55 youth rides per day. The program saw huge success for the pilot year. More kids had the freedom to get out in the community, and a new generation of Boise is growing up using public transit.