In North America, a Universal Transit Pass (U-Pass)—also known as a Universal Access Transit Pass—is a program that provides students who are enrolled in participating post-secondary institutions with unlimited access to local transit.Han, Dahai, Jie Yu, and Edward Beimborn. 2019. "Elements of Successful Universal Student Transit Pass Programs from Planning to Implementation: A Benchmark Study." Transportation Research Record 2673(4):833-43. .
Programs are funded through mandatory fees that either eligible students pay for each term in which they are registered or are included in the students' tuition. For example, the University of Washington and the U-Pass program in Chicago have mandatory U-Pass fees. Fees are transferred to the local transit authority to fund the required transit service. Because fees are collected from a large participant base, U-Pass prices are lower than the amount students would otherwise pay for monthly passes or tickets over the course of a term. The U-Pass price charged to students depends on a variety of factors which differ among municipalities, transit systems and post-secondary institutions.
Advantages and disadvantages Potential benefits U-Pass programs offer students a way to lower their transportation costs while at school and also benefit the local community and the environment. U-Pass programs can provide the following benefits:
Save students money — a U-Pass costs less than the amount students would otherwise pay for regular monthly passes or tickets over the course of a term Reduce demand for parking on campus (thus less resources spent on constructing parking facilities and more valuable land available for university development) — the more incentive there is for students to take public transportation, the less students there will be who drive to school in their own vehicles. Improve the transit system that the university's students and employees rely upon — U-Pass programs often allow for more bus routes and/or better transit service to the institution Reduce traffic congestion around the campus and local community — the more people willing to take the bus to university, the less traffic there will be in and around the area Contribute to fewer emissions and a reduction to greenhouse gas emissions (consistent with the American College and University President's Climate Commitment) Stimulate public transportation ridership, particularly during off-peak, non-commuting hours, thereby filling excess capacity Provide a regular and reliable revenue source for transit authorities that may otherwise be low on funding Create a sense of brand loyalty and transit travel patterns among students who will be prospective customers in their post-college years Reduce the cost burden for local taxpayers to fund public transportation
Potential costs U-Pass programs that require a 100% adoption rate by universities may subsidize the U-Pass at the expense of students who drive, walk, or bike to school and who do not use transit to get to other locations. Some U-Pass programs offer exemptions for students with mobility restrictions and students who live out of the program range, such as exemptions for students who live in Quebec but commute to school in Ottawa, Ontario.
Other disadvantages include:
Not able to benefit from the lower cost of U-Pass if students are travelling to school with a different transit system that does not receive U-Pass funding Additional load puts more strain on existing resources Being charged while taking a term off (e.g. vacation, study abroad, work out of town), courses not offered on campus (e.g. distant learning, graduate thesis, research projects), or being an exchange student
Canada Thirty academic institutions throughout Canada currently participate in a U-Pass program.
In 1973, Queen's University at Kingston implemented the "Bus-It" program with Kingston Transit, making it the first university in Canada to implement a universal transit pass program. Nearby St. Lawrence College also participates in this program. Students are required to pay for the service as part of student activity fees. City/regionTransit systemInstitutionInstitution specificsNotesBrandon, MBBrandon TransitBrandon UniversityThe Brandon University Students' Union offers a UPass program with Brandon Transit. The UPass was last negotiated in 2015 at $16 increasing by $1/year for 5 years.Assiniboine Community CollegeThe Assiniboine Community College Student Association offers all ACC students a free bus pass with Brandon Transit.Winnipeg, MBWinnipeg TransitUniversity of ManitobaU-Passes at the U of M are provided through the University of Manitoba Students' Union for undergraduates and the U of M Graduate Students' Association for graduate students.U-Pass has been offered to full-time students in Winnipeg as of at least the 2017/18 school year, and are issued on reloadable "Peggo cards" that are preloaded with a semester pass. Upon obtaining a U-Pass, a validation sticker is placed on to the user's student ID.University of WinnipegU-Passes at the U of W are provided through the University of Winnipeg Students' Association.Halifax, NSHalifax TransitSaint Mary's UniversityIn 2003, St. Mary's University instituted a UPass program.Dalhousie UniversityIn 2006, Dalhousie negotiated extra routes to the university for their new UPass.NSCAD UniversityNSCAD created their own UPass program a few years after Dalhousie.Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC)NSCC created their own UPass program a few years after Dalhousie.Hamilton, ONGO TransitMcMaster UniversityThrough McMaster Student UnionMohawk CollegeThrough Mohawk Students AssociationRedeemer University CollegeThrough Redeemer University Student AssociationOshawa, ON (RM of Durham)Durham Region Transit and DRT-GODurham CollegeMandatory U-PassA U-Pass is mandatory for all students of Durham College, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, and Trent University Durham GTA and are included with full-time student fees. This pass offers unlimited travel seven days a week on Durham Region Transit services and certain GO Transit routes operating within Durham Region. It previously offered travel on GO Transit buses travelling into and out of Durham Region; this was discontinued in 2013.University of Ontario Institute of TechnologyMandatory U-PassTrent University Durham GTAMandatory U-PassOttawa, ON (National Capital Region)OC Transpo (including O-Train) and STOCarleton UniversityThe U-Pass program at Carleton is the result of successful referendums in 2012 and 2016 organized by the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) and the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA). Following the introduction of U-Pass at the university, driving decreased by 33%. At least one newspaper has reported that students at Carleton faced overcrowded buses as a result of the U-Pass. In 2009, students' associations at Carleton University and the University of Ottawa negotiated with the City of Ottawa to offer a citywide U-Pass. The U-Pass was introduced to post-secondary students at Carleton and U of Ottawa in September 2010. In the 2010 and 2012 academic years (September–April), it cost $145 per term and in the 2012 academic year, it costs $290. In the 2011 budget, the City of Ottawa reported that the U-Pass helped increased ridership among students by 1.35 million, increased transit use at Carleton and U of Ottawa by 35%. The City reports that it subsidizes the cost of the U-Pass at $3 million. In 2011, a study by the City of Ottawa showed that after students at Carleton and U of Ottawa adopted the U-Pass program, transit use increased by 39% and 35% respectively at the two universities.University of OttawaThe U-Pass program at U of Ottawa is provided by the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO).
Following the introduction of U-Pass at the university, car use remained unchanged, thus the gains of transit-use came primarily from students who walk/bike. This raised some doubts at the university as to the environmental and social benefits of the U-Pass, considering that walking and cycling produces no pollution, whereas bus use causes pollution. Some students at U of Ottawa have taken SFUO to court in order to recover U-Pass funds after allegations arose that the SFUO did not properly administer the U-Pass referendum question.Saint Paul UniversityU-Pass is supported by the Saint Paul University Student AssociationAlgonquin CollegeIn 2014, the Algonquin Students' Association sponsored a U-Pass Referendum. In March 2015, the U-Pass Agreement was formally signed with the City of Ottawa for the upcoming academic year.London, ONLondon TransitUniversity of Western OntarioIn 2012, University of Western Ontario and Fanshawe College created a UPass program.Fanshawe CollegeMississauga, ONMiWayUniversity of Toronto MississaugaThe U-Pass program at UTM is provided by the UTM Students' Union (UTMSU) and the UTM Association of Graduate Students.
UTM introduced its U-Pass program in the fall of 2007, offering full-time UTM students unlimited ridership on MiWay during the September-to-April school year. Undergraduates and UTM-affiliated graduate students are charged a mandatory fee each fall. The program has proved to be very popular at the university and has since been extended to the summer and to include part-time students.Thunder Bay, ONThunder Bay TransitLakehead UniversityGiven to all undergraduate students enrolled in at least 3.75 FCE. Other students have the option to opt in through LUSU.Provided through a sticker issued annually, spanning from 1 September to 31 August. Usually a grace period is provided in September for students to update to change U-Pass stickers.Confederation College Mandatory for all students in Confederation College. Only students living outside of service area is allowed to opt out, only after providing proof of address.Waterloo, ON (RM of Waterloo)Grand River TransitWilfrid Laurier UniversityBoth universities in Waterloo have implemented U-Pass programs in their tuition fees, allowing full-time students year-round unlimited travel on the Grand River Transit bus system anywhere in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo using their student card.University of WaterlooVancouver, BC (Metro Vancouver)TransLink University of British Columbia Simon Fraser University Capilano University Langara College Emily Carr University of Art & Design Vancouver Community College Douglas College Kwantlen Polytechnic University BC Institute of Technology