U‑Passes on the way

U-Passes will be delivered to Dalhousie this week for distribution to students as they return to campus in September.

That’s the upshot of last night’s Halifax Regional Municipality council meeting, according to DSU president Chris Saulnier.

“I’m extremely pleased students will have U-Passes,” says Mr. Saulnier, who attended the Tuesday meeting along with student leaders from King’s, Saint Mary’s, Mount Saint Vincent and NSCAD.

University students throughout Halifax rely on the discounted bus pass to get around Halifax. Paid through student fees, the pass offers significant savings on bus travel, a cost of $117 per academic year compared to $512 ($64 per month for eight months).

But the passes were in jeopardy after HRM approved an increase to the U-Pass program in May, too late in the academic year for the Board of Governors, in Dalhousie’s case, or student councils, in Saint Mary’s case, to approve the increase.

Council's decision to defer the increase means students will continue to pay $117 for their U-Passes, while Metro Transit negotiates with the universities for the shortfall.

Mr. Saulnier says it was crucial the issue be resolved before the fall term. “Dalhousie has an extremely large commuter population and the U-Pass offers tremendous savings.”

In a survey conducted by Student Services in 2004, 74 per cent of students were in favor of the program, notes Mr. Saulnier.