By Benedict Reiners
Proponents of the current U-Pass system have often talked about it as a useful way of introducing students to using transit, and rightfully so. However, if the system is, at least in part, designed to promote transit use amongst students, then there are some significant problems that must be addressed.
The foremost amongst these is that of not offering the U-Pass for the full summer semester to students taking either intersessional or summer session courses. One cannot claim that “the ‘U’ in U-Pass BC stands for ‘Universal’,” as Translink does on their website while continuing to limit the eligibility as such. If Translink is going to continue to claim that the program is truly universal, they must actively endeavor to make the eligibility, as well as the services available, as wide as possible.
However, even more preposterous is that those who take intersessional or summer session courses still pay the same amount for those courses as any other, due to course costs being determined by unit. Yet, despite the fact that they save no money on courses, those taking intersessional or summer session courses do not receive access to the U-Pass for the time that they are away from campus. This shows a blatant failure to recognize that students may be using transit for other purposes, something that is supposedly encouraged by the program.
Not only would this be positive for students, it would also be in Translink’s best interest, as it would bring more riders to their service that they may not have otherwise gained, suggesting that it might be slightly easier to convince them to approve the program if that avenue is followed.
However, although this change in the program would be positive for many students, not all would likely be so receptive. Students are not currently forced to pay for a U-Pass for a month in which they will not receive one, and some would disagree with the imposition of a new fee for a pass that they may or may not use. However, this practice would be in line with giving all students the pass during the fall and spring semesters, regardless of their plans to use it or not. The fact remains that students will need to pay for their transportation one way or another, but this ensures that such costs are as manageable as possible, in addition to encouraging a sustainable choice of transportation.
The practice of only offering a U-Pass for certain months to students is not limited to SFU. This summer, UBC has stopped offering full summer U-Passes for all students except those participating in the co-op program, and has received mixed reviews for doing so. Predictably, those who do not use transit much have been pleased, while those who do use it have been far less receptive to the change. However, one must keep in mind that SFU is generally more of a commuter campus than UBC, and as such, a greater number of students rely on transit regularly, providing a greater incentive for U-Passes spanning the whole summer being given to students in intersessional and summer session courses.
In the end, the question of what to do with the U-Pass program comes down to simply fulfilling claims that have already been made. If they want to keep presenting the program as universal, it’s about time that they actually make sure that it is.
