Proposition A: EasyPass
Students vote to keep bus service
Reginald James
Issue date: 5/14/09 Last update: 5/18/09 at 10:49 AM PST
Section: News
Students attending the Peralta Colleges voted in favor of "Proposition A: EasyPass" by a landslide.
Of the 1048 total ballots counted district wide, 920 students voted in favor while 128 voted against--88 percent of students overwhelmingly voted to keep the Peralta EasyPass program. Only students with nine units or more were allowed to vote in the election.
Beginning fall 2009, all students with nine units or more will be required to pay a $31 per semester transportation fee, making them eligible to receive the Peralta EasyPass. The EasyPass gives students unlimited rides on any AC Transit line throughout the entire semester, including transbay lines.
Proposition A also extends the Peralta EasyPass program for seven years, until 2016.
The current EasyPass is an opt-in program for full-time students with 12 or more units. Students who pay $50 receive a semester long Translink bus pass that is good for unlimited rides.
The Spring 2009 EasyPass can still be purchased at each Peralta campuses' cashier's office. They are valid until August 27, 2009.
AC Transit fares will rise effective July 1. A 31-day local adult pass increases from $70 to $80, while 31-day transbay adult passes increase from $116 to $132.50 Local single ride fares increase from $1.75 to $2 while youth, senior and disabled monthly passes were not increased.
The program began fall 2008 as a one-year pilot to test its popularity. Nearly 2,000 students have used EasyPass, according to AC Transit.
Last summer, Assembly Bill (AB) 1980, the Peralta Transportation Accessibility Act, was signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger paving the way for the elections. According to the Laney Tower, students have wanted a discounted bus pass program since 2001.
Of the 1048 total ballots counted district wide, 920 students voted in favor while 128 voted against--88 percent of students overwhelmingly voted to keep the Peralta EasyPass program. Only students with nine units or more were allowed to vote in the election.
Beginning fall 2009, all students with nine units or more will be required to pay a $31 per semester transportation fee, making them eligible to receive the Peralta EasyPass. The EasyPass gives students unlimited rides on any AC Transit line throughout the entire semester, including transbay lines.
Proposition A also extends the Peralta EasyPass program for seven years, until 2016.
The current EasyPass is an opt-in program for full-time students with 12 or more units. Students who pay $50 receive a semester long Translink bus pass that is good for unlimited rides.
The Spring 2009 EasyPass can still be purchased at each Peralta campuses' cashier's office. They are valid until August 27, 2009.
AC Transit fares will rise effective July 1. A 31-day local adult pass increases from $70 to $80, while 31-day transbay adult passes increase from $116 to $132.50 Local single ride fares increase from $1.75 to $2 while youth, senior and disabled monthly passes were not increased.
The program began fall 2008 as a one-year pilot to test its popularity. Nearly 2,000 students have used EasyPass, according to AC Transit.
Last summer, Assembly Bill (AB) 1980, the Peralta Transportation Accessibility Act, was signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger paving the way for the elections. According to the Laney Tower, students have wanted a discounted bus pass program since 2001.
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