Calif. college to launch new student transit pass
15 July, 2016
category: Privilege Control
Lancaster, California’s Antelope Valley College is implementing a new transit pass program this summer for students in need of a ride to class.
Per a report from Mass Transit, the new program will provide bus passes for students enrolled in six or more units per semester. The pilot phase of the program will provide the bus passes free of charge for the Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 semesters, paid for by $80,000 in grant funds awarded by the Antelope Valley Air Quality Management District (AVAQMD). The college will also pitch in for the initiative, matching the full grant amount.
The bus pass will not feature integration with the college’s student ID card, but instead will see eligible students issued a special Transit Access Pass, or TAP card for short. Students will, however, be required to show their Antelope Valley student ID card in addition to tapping the bus pass on the fare box when boarding. The TAP card will remain valid for a period of 16 weeks on all local Antelope Valley College bus routes.
Antelope Valley College enrolls nearly 15,000 students between both its Lancaster and Palmdale, Calif. campuses. Antelope Valley Air Quality Management’s role in funding the program, meanwhile, is to encourage citizens to use public transit, keep more cars off the street and reduce traffic congestion and air pollution.
Funding for the new transit pass at Antelope Valley comes from the Mobile Source Emissions Reduction Program annual fee of $4.00 for vehicle registration, and the $80,000 in matching funds contributed by the college comes from Student Equity and other programs on campus designed to help increase access for students.
Pending approval from the Antelope Valley College Board of Trustees, the College Student Bus Pass will be available through an application process to eligible students beginning in August.
