Bus discount revoked

By Caitlin Kenny

kenn0920@algonquincollege.com

It’s not easy being a student.

And if OC Transpo’s marketing plan for 2009 is approved by city council, it may get even harder. The plan, which was unveiled to the city’s transit committee Nov. 5, includes an age cap for student pass eligibility and fare increases.

If approved by city council, students over the age of 24 would no longer qualify for the student pass. Instead, they would have to purchase an adult pass, which costs about $20 more than a monthly student pass.

More than 12,300 University of Ottawa, Carleton University and Algonquin College students would be affected by this change, according to the plan.

Antonio Mesa, 49, is among the students who would face the extra financial strain.

“It doesn’t sound like much but every dollar counts when you are in a full-time program and can’t work,” said the civil engineering technology student.

For other students, like Michele Comeau, who left a marketing job to specialize in event management, this plan causes more frustration than it does concern.

“It’s already expensive enough to leave your job,” said the 29-year-old student. “You’d think the city would want to encourage people to improve their skills. Not do things to deter them. It’s irritating more than anything.”

The other 80 per cent of students (those under the age of 24) would also pay more for public transit in 2009 due to increased fares. If approved by city council, the price of a regular monthly student pass would rise 4.6 per cent, to $65.25 from $62.65. Meanwhile, ticket prices would jump 15 per cent, to $2.30 from $2.

Higher fuel prices and plans to expand OC Transpo services are the justifications for the proposed price hikes.

“I know students are in a low-income situation and obviously any increase is going to create a hardship, but we are faced with increased costs,” said councillor Alex Cullen, chair of the transit committee, the week following the proposed hikes.

Despite the increase in fares, OC Transpo does not expect that riders will turn away from public transit. Rather, it expects net ridership to increase by 5.1 per cent in 2009.

“The customer is saying ‘Make the system better and we will come,’” said Alain Mercier, director of OC Transpo. “Convenience has been the barrier to transit use, not price.”

Planned system improvements include 24-hour service for the popular 95 route and increased service for other routes such as the 86, 97, 101, 106 and 118.The marketing plan will be debated and voted on during budget deliberations in December.