Comment 17516

By ventrems (registered) | Posted January 23, 2008 at 10:23:37

I seem to be coming late to the debate, but I really want to stress a point that some individuals have made, but other individuals do not seem to understand. As a Mac student (into my 6th year now... no, not two victory laps, but I made the brilliant choice to go to grad school), I feel like I have a duty to comment.

The Mac bus pass (U-Pass) is available to students at a huge discount, this is true. However, there is no provision to 'opt-out' which means everyone pays: all 20,000 of us, regardless of use.

Do all Mac students use the pass? Hardly. First year students living in residence will almost never use the pass, yet pay for it anyway. That is a substantial profit for the HSR based on delivering almost no service.

Also, most students living in the infamous Westdale neighbourhood will walk to campus. Same goes for Ainsliewood on the other side. Many McMaster students live in these neighbourhoods, and as such, will seldom make use of the pass.

Graduate students are more likely to live Downtown or other areas of the city. We pay more for the pass (around $100). We are indeed getting subsidized, but we are also living below the poverty line, and doing research that will almost definitely save the planet & all of your asses one day. You can cut us some slack ;)

So, despite the fact that the pass is offered to Mac students at an insane discount relative to other users, the net effect of the U-Pass is surely a benefit to the HSR and the City. Yet, the bus pass is controversial at Mac, and its existence is perpetually debated. I would not want to be an HSR user on the day that Mac students vote down the U-Pass program.

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