Students will continue to ride Capital Metro buses for free until at least August 2012. A $500,000 dollar, 20 month extension of the Green pass program was approved by the board on Nov. 1.
The ACC Green Pass program started as a pilot program in January 2010. Since then, more than 500,000 rides have been taken using the green pass.
"It takes a little time and planning, but it becomes a decompression thing for me. if you're the kind of person who is always running around it forces you to slow down, said Uvaldo Perales, adjunct professor in the Health and Kinesiology department
The board could have extended the program for only 12 months for $300,000 but because of the success so far they voted for the 20 month extension.
One major difference between the program when it started and now is that Capitol Metro has raised the cost per ride for ACC from forty cents a ride to fifty cents.
This is a result of a proposed overall hike in fares at Capitol Metro, and it shouldn't be necessary to raise any fees to cover the new cost.
The program is funded through the sustainability fee and the faculty parking passes.
Capitol Metro has raised their fares in the last few years. It now cost $1.00 per trip, or $2.00 for a day pass.
Perales, who started at ACC in 1989, said that the Green Pass definetly lead to more bus rides.
"I wouldn't even take the bus if i didn't have the pass," said Perales.
There can be a downside to taking the some buses.
"There are certain lines I wouldn't take. it can feel creepy, I worry about my student sometimes, it's gotten much better now though. There is more of an awareness I think about the bus stops and they are monitored better," said Perales.
Certainly some routes are more popular than others.
Based on the tracking of green pass use that Capitol Metro does, 85 percent of Green Pass rides are on a group of popular bus routes many of which are downtown.
Students and staff use the Green Pass because they don't have cars, or to avoid parking on campus which can be difficult at times.
"I don't have a parking pass. I don't really agree with that whole thing. I work there, i'm not paying to park on campus," said Perales.
"To me its a convenience and I don't need it. I park on the street the days I drive to work," said Perales.
Usually I can just take the bus and it drops me of right at 3:50pm, my class starts at 4:15pm. It's perfect."
Graphs by Chris Scott • Layout Editor
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