3 SEPTEMBER 10, 2003 The student movement for a U-PASS may depend on factors outside the university. By Kathleen De Vere Will UNBC’s initiative for a U-PASS be stalled? The answer is that it depends on many more factors than you might think. The movement for a U-PASS, or universal bus pass, began last February with PGPIRG and a group of interested. students conduct- ing a survey of UNBC students to gauge sup- port for the idea. NUGSS was lobbied by PGPIRG to look into the possibility of getting a U-PASS for UNBC students, and the previ- ous board pledged to look into the issue and to form a NUGSS Transit Improvement Committee, or N-TIC, as some call ‘it. So why is the process, in the words of one NUGSS member, “stalled”? The problem is that currently, N-TIC does- n't exist, and the new NUGSS board will need to have its first official meeting before the plans for the committee, or PGPIRG’s survey results can be discussed. The official statement from NUGSS on the issue is “the previous NUGSS Board of Directors agreed to support further investigation of the U- PASS initiative. A motion of support for this initiative has not yet been made by the cur- rent NUGSS Board of Directors as the first formal meeting of the Board has yet to take place.” However, so far “NUGSS and N-TIC [are] in support of a U-PASS” said Tamara Sweet, NUGSS’s director of external affairs, in an interview with Over The Edge. “In order for the U-PASS [to go ahead] we need a man- date. We are waiting [to discuss the] survey results that PGPIRG and a group of universi- ty students did in February: [before we can make any official decisions,]” Sweet added. The good news for the U-PASS is that the PGPIRG survey results have been recorded and released, and they do indicate that a majority of students are in favour of a U- PASS and are willing to pay for one, even if they don’t plan to use it. However, the fate of the U-PASS lies not with NUGSS who so far supports the idea, but with a completely unrelated body, the Prince George City Council according to U-PASS Survey Results Overall 557 surveys entered. Of 552, 378 - 68.4% of those surveyed, answered yes, they would use the U-PASS Overall how much would people pay? 122 would pay $40 - $50 148 would pay $30 - $40 143 would pay $20 - $30 1 would pay $10 - $20 135 would pay nothing 75.5% of surveyed would pay 24.5% of surveyed would not pay Ross Sandwell, NUGSS’s Associate Director of Finance and Operations. In the words of Sandwell, who plans to be on N-TIC once it is formed, “the U-PASS hinges on transit improvement. The reality of a U-PASS referendum is hinged on improved transit service. The conditional support indicates that transit should be bet- ter.” The PGPIRG survey indicates that while a majority of students are in favor of a U-PASS, transit must be improved first. What this means for the U-PASS is that before NUGSS and N-TIC can begin the process of taking the U-PASS initiative to a student referendum, the Prince George City Council’s Transit Improvement Initiative must pass. “Nobody want to buy a U-PASS without transit working with their classes, morning and evening,” said Sweet. “If tran- sit improves it will be easier to sell the idea of a U-PASS.” While the actual details of the Transit Improvement Initiative are still confidential at this time, Over the Edge was able to learn Out of the 182 surveyed that declared they would NOT use the U-PASS, 25% of non-users would still want to pay for the service. that NUGSS has met with the ¢onsultants that the city have hired to oversee the transit improvement three times since May, and NUGSS input has “been heard and taken seriously,” in the words of Sandwell. If the Transit Initiative passes, there will be a small but significant funding increase, service will be more efficient, and routes will change. If the Transit Improvement Initiative pass- es in City Council, NUGSS will have regular input, and N-TIC with be dealing with the city’s consultants. The ‘City will make its Transit Improvement Initiative public on September 15, at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall. There will be a public education campaign that will take place on either the 16th or the 17th of September. Students in favour of a U-PASS are encouraged to attend the meeting and make their opinions heard. PGPIRG will be organizing a rally for students who are inter- ested in attending the meeting. For more information about the rally, please contact PGPIRG.