Den bus passes are now available for student season-ticket holders
By Damien Sutevski
May 19, 2011 12:43 a.m.
Den season bus passes are now a reality. Undergraduate Students Association Council General
Representative David Bocarsly announced the season pass this week, two weeks after being sworn into his position.
Bocarsly said he wanted to enhance the athletic experience for students by making travel more convenient for ticket holders.
In addition to a $99 Den Sports Pass, students can buy a $30 bus pass for the entire football season, which provides six passes for the price of five. Transportation to basketball games is complimentary.
Student season-ticket holders have traditionally had to wait in line to purchase bus passes from the Central Ticket Office before each game, but next year they can secure their spots by swiping their Bruin Cards at the bus pick-up locations.
Bocarsly approached Assistant Athletic Director Scott Mitchell during winter quarter with this idea.
Mitchell agreed but added that there would be some complexities.
One problem will be predicting how many buses to request for each game, Mitchell explained.
UCLA Athletics knows how many no-shows to expect on weekly bus ticket purchases from prior season statistics, but it could be difficult to predict the turnout on a season -ticket basis, he added.
Because the buses operate at a loss regardless of the turnout rate, it’s important they are not overbooked, said Dave Lowenstein, the CTO director.
Another issue was how to handle Bruin Card verification, Lowenstein said. The system that students use to pick up their Den shirts at the games can’t be used because there are no Internet access points at the bus pick-up locations, he said.
“But it’s a great idea, and we’re going to make it work,” Lowenstein said.
