Lindsey Poepping came to Royal Roads University to finish her degree in communications, but managed to leave behind a legacy of affordable transit for students.
BC Transit opened its U-Pass program to Royal Roads students in August, barely six months after Poepping made a phone call to transit CEO Manuel Achadinha.
B次元官网网址淚 called up Manuel and asked what do we need to do to get the U-Pass?B次元官网网址� said the 23-year-old president of the RRU Student Association. B次元官网网址淚 said weB次元官网网址檝e got the students, youB次元官网网址檝e got the buses. LetB次元官网网址檚 set something up.B次元官网网址�
The student association quickly organized a referendum in the spring asking if students would be willing to fund a U-Pass B次元官网网址� 83 per cent gave it a thumbs up. The first undergraduate cohort in August had $250 tacked to their fees for the full year of bus passes. Twelve months of bus passes for post-secondary would normally cost about $900.
B次元官网网址淲ithout Lindsey this wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have happened. Royal Roads implemented the U-Pass with lightning speed,B次元官网网址� Achadinha said during a U-Pass kickoff ceremony last week at RRU. B次元官网网址淭his is the quickest U-Pass program weB次元官网网址檝e ever implemented. That says a lot for this institution.B次元官网网址�
The U-Pass at Royal Roads was likely inevitable as it expands undergraduate programs that draw students from other institutions, such as the University of Victoria and Camosun.
Poepping said she was used to having a U-Pass when she attended UVic, a common sentiment from RRU undergrads completing third and fourth year. One student sent in a letter asking for a U-Pass earlier this year, and the ball started rolling from there.
B次元官网网址淢ost of the undergraduates come from other institutions, and the majority have a U-Pass. Once you have it, itB次元官网网址檚 hard to give up,B次元官网网址� Poepping said. B次元官网网址淥nce we got that one letter, we we started asking around and hearing a lot more grumbling from students.B次元官网网址�
Students got their U-Pass, but RRU isnB次元官网网址檛 exactly a transit hub. The No. 39 Royal Roads is the only bus that enters the campus and the No. 52 Wishart community bus rolls along Sooke Road.
RRU vice-president Steve Grundy admits itB次元官网网址檚 a catch-22 B次元官网网址� students wonB次元官网网址檛 use a U-Pass without a high level of service, but BC Transit wonB次元官网网址檛 provide service without demand.
On the other hand, the university has to find ways to chip away at 93 per cent of its students accessing the campus via a single occupancy vehicle.
B次元官网网址淲e need a critical mass of students. The tricky part is about demand and service,B次元官网网址� Grundy said. B次元官网网址淔ortunately the students went for the U-Pass program. WeB次元官网网址檙e hoping over time BC Transit will improve service for the campus.B次元官网网址�
The RRU U-Pass program will benefit a few hundred students now, and will grow as the university expands longer residency programs. Achadinha said BC Transit tracks usage and ridership closely. UVic and Camosun tripled student ridership after bringing in the U-Pass.
B次元官网网址淓very institution does the same. It really takes off,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd from a student point of view, they donB次元官网网址檛 have to worry about a car. These bus passes really help students financially.B次元官网网址�
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