Under Construction
A U-Pass Program for NAU?
Students will decide.
In October 2006 ASNAU will put forward a student ballot measure to implement a transit U-pass funded by student fees each semester.
What is U-Pass?
A university pass is an unlimited public transit access pass that is usually purchased for all students through student fees. The price of the pass is deeply discounted, $13/semester - $26 a year, compared to purchasing an individual transit pass. That's less than a single tank of gas for an entire year!
How do we know a U-Pass would be used?
The introduction of unlimited transit passes at universities across the country has resulted in dramatic increases in student and faculty ridership. The elimination of user-based fees on 30 studied campuses resulted in ridership increases of 70% to over 200% within the first year. Current estimates are that roughly 2 million university students currently have U-Passes across the country.
Why should NAU have a U-Pass Program?
- Affordability. A U-Pass reduces the costs of attending school. NAU currently recommends that students budget $1,314 year for transportation. A U-Pass would provide inexpensive access to off-campus housing, shopping, services, and jobs.
- Purchasing power. Spreading the costs over the entire student population, regardless of use, allows the transit provider to lower the cost by a huge factor. Currently, an individual transit pass in Flagstaff costs $312 per year.
- Equity. Current policy subsidizes the students who drive by providing below-cost parking permits. Students that choose not to drive or can’t afford a vehicle end up subsidizing the students who drive.
- Congestion and Parking Relief. Transit use reduces the demand for parking and the levels of congestion both on campus and on the connecting arterial roads. Reduced parking demand lowers the amount of new spaces that the university would have to build at a cost of $12,000 to $17,000 per space.
- Environmental. NAU is positioning itself to be a “Green” University and many of the students support reducing the impact on the environment. Transit use reduces emissions and allows the university to convert some interior surface lots to green space and/or academic buildings in the future, making the campus friendlier for walking, biking, and transit.
- Extra benefits.The revenue generated would also help purchase new services, like a Snowbowl Bus, late-night service, and weekend excursions.
Office of Sustainability
PO Box 4074
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-4074
Phone: 928/523-0656
Fax: 928/523-8223
E-mail: Heather.Farley@nau.edu
What's your carbon footprint?
