After a three-year pilot project, Transit Windsor's Universal Bus Pass program at the University of Windsor is going to a vote. The cost of a U-Pass has been rolled into tuition but students will now get a say in whether the program stays or goes. It's included in a referendum during student elections later this month.
Student Alliance President Jeremiah Bowers believes most are favour of keeping it. "We've had a great response from students. The whole premise of the U-Pass was that we, as a campus and a student body, would provide accessible and affordable transportation for students which can translate into more accessible and more affordable education."
Bowers says, since the program started, most of the kinks have been worked out and students are pleased with the results. "Back in November, we conducted a month-long survey to see how students felt about the U-Pass and the majority said that they would be in favour of continuing it on a permanent basis." Bowers adds, "The UWSA will always respond to its membership's needs and this has been a clear need from our students. So, we are strongly hoping that it will pass, but we'll see what happens at the referendum."
According to a Transit Windsor report, the U-Pass, combined with the addition of transit service in LaSalle, played a major role in a 54% increase in student ridership in 2018.
The U-Pass referendum will take place during student elections on March 20 and 21.
- with files from AM800's Rob Hindi