Members of the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) are ramping up their campaign to secure free MBTA bus passes for thousands of Boston Public School students who now walk to school.

Sparked by fears expressed by a Madison Park High School freshman who dreads his two-mile walk to and from school, the group plans to expand its lobbying efforts in the coming weeks.

On Dec. 14, campaign leaders will pitch their plan to the full DSNI board and recommend that the organization fully support the campaign.

“The issue was brought up by principals in our schools because they are seeing so many students tardy, absent, or not being able to take advantage of after-school jobs and internships,” said Sheena Collier, a DSNI activist and organizer of the campaign.

The group has produced a video— now circulating on social media— that depicts the long walk of the Madison Park student, named Elijah, who has become the focal point of the campaign. He is one of thousands of high school students in Boston who are ineligible to receive the free M7 bus pass because they live within two miles of their school. They do qualify for a discounted T pass for $30 a month.

Students in Grade 7 or 8 who live more than 1.5 miles from their school are eligible for the pass.

In a statement to the Reporter for this article, a BPS spokesperson said, “Boston Public Schools respects the power of student voice and understands community concerns. We will continue to explore this issue, but have no plans to expand M7 passes at this time.”

On Nov. 2, DSNI organized a walk from Madison Park to highlight the issue. City Councillor Tito Jackson - along with some two dozen other leaders, parents, and students - joined Elijah on the trip he takes twice a day.

A week later, Jackson hosted a follow-up City Council hearing at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center at Roxbury Community College to discuss the student transportation issue with residents and city officials.

According to Collier, providing M7 bus passes to these students is just one solution to the much larger issue of student transportation equity and access within the Boston public school system.

“M7 bus passes is a solution that’s very tangible,” said Collier. “You can say that if more students had access, that’s one big step towards transportation equity for students across the city.”

The DSNI education committee has extended its efforts through brainstorming strategies that emphasize student and parent involvement, and attracting key “decision-makers” in the city as potential allies, said Collier. “We want to pursue an avenue focused on engaging those that may not see this as much of a priority, to really be able to express to them why we think this is important and why this is a core right” said Collier.

“It’s much more powerful; it makes much more sense for us to all work together,” said Collier. “We can maximize the work that different people are doing across the city, including schools that are outside of our neighborhood.”

Collier says she has yet to encounter a BPS official or resident who is against the push to achieve student transit equity. But with the school budget season approaching and a current BPS budget deficit, she said, the real concern is “how can this fit into the BPS budget?

“The question is really - how do we make sure that this issue doesn’t just fade into the background? So, we’re pursuing some strategies around how we can keep this at the forefront of young people and parents.”