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October
6,
2005 |
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UCLA
First Major University in L.A. County to "Go Metro" with Metro
Discounted Transit Pass Program Metro
and UCLA Transportation Services today announced a partnership to offer
discounted transit passes to UCLA students, staff and faculty, making it
the first major university campus to offer such a program in Los Angeles
County. The
Go Metro Transit Pass Program will provide UCLA transit riders unlimited
travel throughout the academic year on board all Metro Bus and Metro
Rail lines at half the cost for full fare riders. At $45.50 for students
and $78 for staff and faculty for the Fall 2005 quarter ($42 and $72, respectively, in
subsequent quarters), the passes are an economical choice for students,
staff and faculty seeking relief from the current high costs of
commuting to and from campus. "The
Go Metro Transit Pass Program gives UCLA riders the convenience of an
unlimited Metro Bus and Metro Rail pass at significantly reduced
fares," said John Catoe, Deputy CEO of Metro. "Institutions of
higher learning throughout L.A. County can work with Metro to get this
pass program implemented at their schools to help reduce the stress or
added expense of driving." Metro
offers its Institutional Pass Program to large organizations such as
colleges, universities and trade schools in efforts to promote transit
use among large businesses, institutions and major organizations. The
program enables institutions to negotiate fare media arrangements and
additional services with Metro. To date, community colleges such as Los
Angeles City College and Pierce College have participated in the
program. UCLA
Transportation Services, which provides a wide variety of cost-effective
transportation programs and services for the campus and adjacent
properties,
will pay 50 percent of the costs on behalf of riders. The university has
a wealth of award-winning rideshare programs that help mitigate the
impacts of traveling to the school by more than 35,000 daily students.
The university's employee vanpool program, for example, is one of the
largest in L.A. County. Metro
Buses make nearly 1,200 trips to UCLA or Westwood daily. Riders may
board from more than 15 stops in the area. "Our goal is to sell 1,500 UCLA
Go Metro passes in our first year," said UCLA Assistant Vice
Chancellor Jack Powazek. Go
Metro transit passes are available for purchase two weeks before the
start of each quarter, and can be purchased online or at the UCLA
Central Ticket Office. Riders should bring a valid BruinCard, as their
photo will be used on the Go Metro pass card. The
first time UCLA riders buy a Go Metro pass, they will receive a photo ID
card with a stamp indicating the current quarter. When purchasing a pass
in subsequent quarters, riders will receive a new stamp to place on
their existing card. Besides
providing access to the UCLA campus for school, the passes may also be
used to attend UCLA football games, where students are encouraged to
"Make Your Next Pass a Go Metro Pass." The
Go Metro Transit Pass Program will complement BruinGO! travel on the
Santa Monica Big Blue Bus and Culver CityBus by providing another
affordable commuting option for the campus community. Riders planning to
transfer to a Big Blue Bus or Culver CityBus after riding Metro need to
purchase a 25¢ transfer when boarding their initial Metro Bus. The
program was announced during During Rideshare Week (Oct. 3-7), when
Metro challenges commuters and others to share a ride and save money on
gas while easing traffic and air pollution. The agency offers an array
of other rideshare programs, including a service that matches commuters
with carpool partners and vanpools. Incentives such as Starbucks gift
cards are offered for trying these rideshare options. Participation
in Metro Rideshare programs grows every year. More than 1,000 worksites
with 250 or more employees participate in Metro Commute Service
programs, representing a 68 percent increase within the last three
years. An additional 1,200 businesses with less then 250 employees also
participate in these programs. For
information on Metro's Rideshare Programs, visit Metro.net or call
1-800-COMMUTE (option # 3). For details on carpools and public transit
options available throughout Southern California, visit
CommuteSmart.info. For more information on UCLA Transportation Services,
visit www.transportation.ucla.edu. Metro-145 |