As students look for alternative forms of transportation to save money, the demand for U-Passes has been on the rise.
On Wednesday, more than 8,700 U-Passes had been distributed this semester, said Shereen Eaton, information specialist coordinator from Parking and Transit Services. By the end of the fall 2008 semester, ASU had issued approximately 9,000 free U-Passes to students.
Eaton said PTS expects to top last fall’s number of U-Passes issued despite the new $40-per-semester fee.
“Students who are purchasing the U-Passes are seeing the value in having the transit pass,” she said.
PTS has also been seeing a decrease in parking permits purchased in the past five years.
Last year at this time, Eaton said PTS had sold 19,700 parking permits at the Tempe campus, 3,500 more permits than have been sold so far this semester.
Eaton said the decrease is a reflection of the new transportation services that are being provided for students and employees.
“Parking and Transit has been working to find transportation services, such as the U-Pass, Zipcar (a car-sharing program) and campus shuttles, to make it easier and less expensive for students to take alternate forms of transportation and reduce the amount of emission produced by vehicles,” Eaton said.
She said the alternate transportation services match ASU’s mission of sustainablity.
“Our mission statement is to provide sustainable access solutions for ASU,” Eaton said. “We are absolutely committed to making sure that we provide transportation services and parking accommodations that are in line with the University’s mission of sustainability.”
Although the U-Pass fee has been a factor for some students, Eaton said most are recognizing the deal ASU is giving them by only having to pay $40 per semester instead of $195, the amount Valley Metro charges for a one-semester unlimited access pass.
Chemical engineering junior Cabrena Hall commutes on the light rail to the Tempe campus from East Mesa.
Even though Hall would prefer the U-Pass to be free like last year, she doesn’t mind paying what ASU charges over the price Valley Metro charges because the parking provided by the light rail is more convenient, she said.
“Whenever I park my car, the [designated light rail] parking lots are almost empty so I don’t have to fight for parking spaces and I don’t have to worry about other students rushing in,” Hall said.
Like Hall, elementary education sophomore Brittany Lenderman, who purchased a parking permit from ASU in the past, said she would rather ride the light rail than purchase a parking permit from ASU.
“When I realized parking for the light rail was free, I stopped purchasing parking permits because I figured it was cheaper and easier to take the light rail,” Lenderman said.
Meteorology junior Josh Montano said he rides the light rail every day because he has no other mode of transportaion.
The University has been doing a good job to help students who don’t have money to purchase vehicles, he said.
“Students have to save money for their education,” Montano said. “Not many people have $20,000 to buy a new car. I know I don’t.”
Reach the reporter at griselda.nevarez@asu.edu.
