The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) approved on March 28 using $8.6 million in state funds to continue free bus rides for youth ages 6 to 18 until 2026. Supporting OCTA’s February decision to make its “youth ride free” passes permanent, the $8.5 million will make it the first large-scale transit agency in the region to offer free bus rides to youth on an ongoing basis, according to an OCTA statement. “We’re happy to see so many young people in Orange County respond to the Youth Ride Free program to get to school, to work, to the library and to so many other destinations that improve their quality of life,” OCTA Chairman Mark Murphy said in the statement. “We on the OCTA Board of Directors see strong value in continuing the free fares with the hope more young people will discover how convenient public transit can be and will keep …