U-Pass (Vancouver)

Current UPass BC Design

Previous card design prior to the switch to UPass BC

Translink U-Pass, as part of U-Pass BC program, is a student public transportation monthly pass valid on the TransLink system in the Metro Vancouver, British Columbia.

The original concept of a regional-wide initiative was expanded province-wide in June, 2010 when the provincial government created the U-Pass BC program that offers standardized transit program for all public post-secondary students beginning of September, 2010.

The Lower Mainland program is currently available to Justice Institute of British Columbia, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, British Columbia Institute of Technology, Douglas College, Vancouver Community College, Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Capilano University, Langara College, SFU, and UBC students only, though other post-secondary institutions are eligible to join the program.

Pass holders is eligible to use HandyDART if requirements are met and also for discounted fare on the West Coast Express.

History

The U-Pass program in the Metro Vancouver region was first implemented in September 2003 by TransLink, with the sponsorship of Vancity. It was first implemented at UBC and SFU but was further expanded to Capilano University and Langara College in 2009.

On June 9 2010, the Province announced that U-Pass program would be expanded into a province-wide initiative at a rate of $30 per month. At the same time, it was announced that VanCity would no longer be a sponsor for the program.

On September 1, 2011, UPass BC program officially launched at 11 public post-secondary institutions.

Fee

TransLink fare map, as of August 2010 (click to enlarge).

The fee for the U-Pass is currently $30 per month for all students. The U-Pass allows unlimited travel in all zones on buses, SkyTrains and the SeaBus. This represents a significant savings over the current $81 fee for a monthly regular one zone pass and FastTrax sticker previously required, or a savings of approximately $352 over eight months.

Beginning on April 1, 2013, the U-Pass monthly fee will increase to $35 per month.

Fees are paid along with tuition and student fees, and all students (regardless of whether they are taking classes on campus, taking distant education courses, or even on Co-op term) are obliged to purchase the pass, though in some circumstances students may opt out.

U-Passes are non-transferrable. Fraudulent use may result in criminal charges or a fine. Students are required to carry supplemental identification (Student Card) and produce it for inspection, along with the UPass, upon request of a Transit Security Officer or a member of the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service. Failure to produce supplemental identification (Student Card) upon request may result in confiscation of the UPass, and/or a fine for not having a valid fare in a Fare Paid Zone.^{[citation needed]}

Popularity

According to the UBC U-Pass site, since the UBC U-Pass was implemented, transit ridership now accounts for 42% of all trips to UBC, a figure which is expected to grow by ten percent per year. In a referendum at UBC, the students voted 92% in favour of continuing the program. According to the U-Pass Final Review, Transit ridership at UBC has increased by 63% since the implementation of the U-Pass, 37% of UBC students reported that they have been able to avoid buying a car as a result of the U-Pass and 69% have been able to reduce their reliance on a car due to the pass.

According to the SFU U-Pass site, in a referendum held at SFU in March 2005, students voted 83% in favour of continuing the U-Pass program until at least September 2008, and 88% of SFU students currently use a U-Pass. Transit ridership to SFU's Burnaby Campus has increased 48% since the launch of the U-Pass program. In addition, one third of SFU students reported that they avoided the need to purchase a vehicle and over 60% reported a reduced reliance on automobiles since the introduction of the Pass.

Environmental benefits

According to the U-Pass Review Final Report, Translink has estimated that by May 2005, regional green house gas emissions had been reduced by 3,000 tonnes as a result of the SFU U-Pass program and 8,000 tonnes as a result of the UBC U-Pass program.

Problems and controversies

Initial implementation

The initial introduction of the U-Pass was met with resistance from some students who drive or ride bicycles to campus as their primary method of transportation, whether because they live a significant distance from campus, or for other reasons, or who live on campus and rarely use the bus. Some students argued that it was unfair that they had to subsidise the U-Pass programme for other students, despite rarely themselves using the public transportation system.^{[citation needed]} A counter argument was that students would only have to make 10 trips by bus per month to break even on the program.^{[citation needed]}

Students also complained of long lines at Pass-distribution locations at the start of term.^{[citation needed]} This problem was solved by mailing the passes shortly before the start of term, but in 2011 this system was cancelled due to an increase in fraudulent use. Passes are now distributed monthly via machines situated on campus, and are made available 2 weeks before the beginning of the month during which they are valid.^{[citation needed]}

The introduction of the programme also resulted in significant crowding on buses heading towards the UBC and SFU campuses, and many students complained that already overcrowded buses were failing to stop to pick them up. This was a particular problem for riders who board the bus closer to campus. TransLink responded by adding more buses and increasing the number and frequency of trips, as well as by introducing new routes. Overcrowding has remained a problem on some routes and at certain times of day.^{[citation needed]}

Ongoing issues

The 99 B-Line's route map

The introduction of the U-Pass coincided with a new policy of boarding via all doors at certain stops on the 99 B-Line and the #145 for passengers with valid pre-paid fares (such as U-Pass and monthly passes). Many passengers initially complained that the system was poorly implemented, and that drivers sometimes failed to allow all-door boarding, even at approved stops, or forgot or refused to open the rear doors, resulting in passengers being unable to board, or being unable to find a seat, despite having been at the front of the line. It has also been argued that the occasional visual inspections of U-Passes at the rear doors (at the Broadway and Commercial terminus, for example) simply slows down the boarding process, since it is impossible to tell, just by looking at a U-Pass, whether the individual card is still valid (unless it is past the expiration date printed on the front).

In September 2005, it was discovered that there was a problem that caused all U-Passes to be read as invalid by Translink fareboxes. This was an issue with the fareboxes and new cards were issued in January 2006, and students were permitted to simply show the old cards in the meantime. This has resulted in a large number of drivers continuing to allow U-Pass holders to simply show their card when boarding a bus, without inserting it into the farebox. There have been complaints from students about this.

The introduction of the new Upass has made it impossible for students from SFU on coop semesters to acquire one as the machines dispensing them are off limits after office hours, by the time students are off coop work, the offices would be closed.

External links

• TransLink U-Pass Page
• SFU U-Pass site
• UBC U-Pass site
• Capilano U-Pass site
• Langara U-Pass site

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