To the community, the bus might not be the most luxurious form of transportation, but to full time students it could be a free ride.
Free bus passes, for students with 12 units or more, are not only good for the entire semester but valid on all MTA busses including the new Metro Orange Line.
The administration has paid for 5,300 passes, enough to cover every full-time student.
All that has to be done is show a valid Pierce ID and schedule of classes to the counter in Copy Tech by March 10.
We would like to say what a great opportunity it is for all full-time students to take an alternate route to school.
Plenty of advantages present themselves.
? There is no battle for parking with those crazy drivers determined to find the closest spot to their class.
? Gas isn’t an issue because, there is no, “Hey man, can I get some gas money?” attached to the ride offer.
? Catching up on some extra sleep in a comfortable seat in the back of a bus is a definite plus. (Just make sure not to sleep through the Mason Avenue or Winnetka Avenue stop.)
? There is always that extra little bit of studying that can be done to reassure any student before that big test.
? A last chance to do that last minute homework.
? Finally, it’s a good way to meet new people.
Maybe there are not always the most coherent and normal riders, but people tend to find love in the strangest of places. (Imagine telling a grandkid that you met grandpa in the back of a bus)
Plenty of advantages present themselves for Pierce and MTA as well. Promoting bus ridership has got to help out Metro.
More riders lead to higher success, which leads to job security, which leads to happier bus drivers. Anyone who has ridden a bus, knows a happy bus driver is a happy trip.
But, as life seems to go, there is always a down side to every good thing.
The bus can be very time-consuming and not the most reliable thing.
There are plenty of delays and missing a bus is probably the worst feeling in the world.
In any event, for those students that can’t afford a car, it really does help.
Free bus passes may not be offered again next semester so this could be the last chance.
Hopefully there will be a larger success than last semester’s estimated 1,000 passes given out and the program will continue.
In the meantime, some full-time students can finally get a free ride in life.