Kids Travel ‘Home Free’ with Greyhound

The holidays are family-centric, and Greyhound knows that well. For its 35th year, this national transportation service is offering free

Dec 23, 2022
Greyhound
A new Greyhound bus, which features leather seats, extra legroom, Wi-Fi, power outlets, three-point seat belts, on-board restroom and wheelchair lift. (PRNewsFoto/Greyhound Lines, Inc.)

The holidays are family-centric, and Greyhound knows that well. For its 35th year, this national transportation service is offering free bus tickets for select passengers – namely youth – to reunite with their loved ones for the holidays.

See: AIRLINES OFFER WAIVERS FOR TRAVELERS IMPACTED BY MASSIVE WINTER ‘BOMB CYCLONE’

“Home Free” Brings Families Together

“Home Free” is the official program of Greyhound Lines, Inc. Through free bus tickets, the program helps runaway individuals aged 12 to 21 affected by homelessness and youth exploitation reunite with family and loved ones, by transporting them home or to safe locations.

The original program was spurned in 1987, when Greyhound launched the movement of its own accord. It gained traction with a partnership with the National Runaway Safeline (NRS) in 1995, and has helped over 18,000 families with free issued bus tickets since the collaboration.

“We are honored to continue our partnership with Greyhound Lines and the Home Free program,” said Susan Frankel, Chief Executive Officer of  National Runaway Safeline in a recent press release. “Together we can continue to have a positive impact in providing a vital resource for youth and their families, and we look forward to serving as their charitable partner for the Home Free program for many more years.”

More than 4 million children and young adults fall victim to homelessness every year in the United States. Through “Home Free” the risk of assault, illness, suicide or other danger is minimized by provision of this service.

In 2022, Greyhound and the NRS have accommodated over 200 fulfilled tickets among nearly 600 requests so far, with issued tickets totaling over $42,000 in value.

“While we help young people all year round through our Home Free program, its especially vital during the holidays,” said Lourdes Brown, Director of Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility, Greyhound Lines, Inc. in a statement. “Holidays are about family coming together, and our Greyhound family is devoted to providing young people the chance to reconnect with their families and return to a safe environment.”

Greyhound’s national routes service 1700 cities across all 50 states and Mexico, making them the largest public transportation bus line in the country. 

More Bus Choices for Holiday Travel

For further ground transportation this holiday season, continue booking routes on the following domestic lines:

Flixbus: This German-founded company is an international favorite for bus travel. The signature green and orange fleets are equipped with Wi-Fi and air conditioning for optimal comfort. Select routes start at $5 a trip, making it one of the most affordable modes of transportation available. Its introduction into US travel is one of the cornerstone moves for the company, as well as the company acquisition in 2021.

megabus: Another branch of a European parent, megabus has a decades-old legacy for travel and cheap fares in many major US regions. Fares are often as low as $1 when booked far enough in advance.

A Brief History of Greyhound

Over 100 years of travel make up the Greyhound legacy. The first ride occurred in 1914, when a gentleman drove a small group of people in his multi-passenger car. That venture has since grown to host millions of passengers every year, traveling across billions of miles’ worth of routes.

In addition to passenger transport, Greyhound provides parcel delivery service, charter and commuter routes and certain international trips to Canada (service was suspended to Canada across all general routes in 2021.) The volume of routes also sees dozens of Mexico trips offered through Greyhound from select United States cities. 

For more fun facts and history about the most recognized vehicle fleet on the road, Greyhound’s founding home of Hibbing, Minnesota has its very own Greyhound Bus Museum, warranting a day trip of its own for visiting guests.

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