Metro Link bus to launch UCLA discount

During a time when gas prices are at record highs, UCLA
students, faculty and staff will be offered a greater incentive to
ride public transportation next year.

UCLA’s Transportation Services department has created a
new program that will allow students and faculty to ride the Metro
Link bus at a reduced price in an effort to provide more affordable
public transportation for students.

In past years, students wishing to use public transportation at
a discount were limited to the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, or pay
the regular $50 per month for a Metro bus pass. With the new
program, students will pay between $42 and $45.50 for an entire
quarter, depending on the length of the quarter.

Sam Corbett, the manager of planning and analysis at
Transportation Services, hopes the number of student riders on
Metro buses will increase once the program is launched. A recent
survey revealed that between 800 and 1,050 UCLA community members
ride the bus regularly.

Corbett also said it is not necessarily beneficial for
everyone.

“If you’re just an infrequent rider, you’re
not going to do it. You have to ask yourself, is this a worthwhile
expenditure?” Corbett said.

The new program will officially begin selling passes on
September 6 and be open for use starting September 19 until
December 18, 2005 ““ the end of the Fall quarter. Another new
incentive with the pass is that it includes weekend use, whereas
the Blue Line no longer offers that option for students.

Saray Gonzalezz, a third-year chemistry student and frequent
Metro bus rider, was excited at the prospect of the new
program.

“This system will really benefit (financial aid) students
and the older, more non-traditional students who need the bus as
daily commuters,” Gonzalezz said.

“This is really great news, the least represented group of
students will definitely benefit the most,” Gonzalezz
said.

Joe Vardner, the student representative for transportation
services, said originally the Metro was not interested. However,
once the negotiations began, it became a mutual goal. Now, Vardner
hopes to convince students to take advantage of this new program by
presenting them with numbers.

“Based on the cost and usage, if a student uses it 18
times in a quarter, that is less than four weeks of use. You break
even in comparison” to commuting, Vardner said.

He said it will be difficult to get more new students to begin
taking the Metro, but that through a new and upgraded Web site, and
more advertisement, it can hopefully become more widely used.

“Students should take advantage of this program for
practical reasons, as well as to just explore L.A. Metro really
opens that up,” Vardner said.