uPass! Whoo! Wait, what? Well, let me tell you. If you’re currently not aware, the uPass pilot project will be implemented on uOttawa’s lovely campus this coming September (i.e. next month). It’s an 8 month bus pass being offered at a greatly reduced price to full-time students of the University. The cost is included in your tuition, and you can pick it up starting the 23rd of August, at 9 am, in the couch lounge of UCU.
Alright, now you know all the bureaucratic details; what about the practicality?
The fact is, with two major bus stops on campus, it’s incredibly easy to get anywhere in the city using public transport. This is useful for running errands, accessing more of the city, and most importantly, getting to and from home. Many students have a lengthy commute to and from campus, so they have no choice but to have a bus pass to begin with; however, now it comes with their tuition! For the others that think this is a bad idea because they live near or on campus, consider this: you will not be staying on campus 24/7.
There are groceries to be bought, paperwork to be done, friends and family to visit and other adventures to be had that don’t all necessarily take place within a walkable distance. What if you injure yourself? Walking isn’t exactly an easy task with a sprained ankle (I would know), especially in winter. What if it’s preposterously cold and you’re not really looking forward to 10-minute frostbite? OC Transpo has you covered, but only if you’ve got fare. As of this September, you won’t have to worry about whether you have bus tickets or not, because you’ll have a pass that enables you to get around.
Overall, the uPass will increase mobility and use of our transport system, hopefully taking more single-occupant vehicles off the road.
So, when the date comes around, grab your student card and head down to the UCU couch lounge to pick up your ticket to ride (that sounds even lamer than it did in my head)!
For more details, visit these sites:
-vedrana