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The previous week I wrote about how much money it was possible to save if you take public transportation. Since then, I have came to the realization that there are a several varying options for student bus passes across the country. The example I used of the pass in Winnipeg turned out to be around average, so that’s fine as far as the comparison went; however, after checking out the many options around Canada I thought it may be interesting to note the differences.

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of student bus passes in Canada is the possibility of a majority of university students on some campuses to make the passes mandatory. Universities such as the University of Ottawa, the University of Victoria, Saint Mary’s University, and the University of Western Ontario have organized student referendums where students elected to incorporate bus passes as part of their all around tuition and student user fees. At Ottawa this led to a law suit by nine students against the University since they felt discriminated against.

Obviously this predicament has some positives and disadvantages. The very low cost of public transportation for people who use it is an indisputable bonus. For those campuses the rate was decreased to about a hundred bucks flat for the year! This is likely because of the improved volume of sales. The fact that students are required to get passes would definitely also help the overall usage rates. This has great spin-off environmental effects, along with the previously mentioned financial ones.

Myself personally, the disadvantages are way more prevalent to me. During my time at the University of Manitoba there was a referendum on whether to put together a compulsory package for public transportation to be supported by all students. I simply just can not get past the fact that it shouldn’t be considered fair for a slight majority of students to trample the legal rights of a giant minority and take money out of their pockets to subsidize their chosen form of transportation. If I remember correctly, there was currently a percentage of the money used from parking service fees to help offset student bus pass costs. This is still a tough sell for me despite the environmental benefits. Not surprisingly as a car owner I am definitely bias.

My personal distaste for certain aspects of public transportation is likely a result of the Winnipeg pubic transit system. No matter how much money I was saving I couldn’t rationalize the consistent waste of time. The schedules were hardly ever correct, the constant disrespect of travellers, and the poor weather aspect of life in Winnipeg, was more than enough to motivate me to get my own vehicle.

If I had attended school in British Columbia I might have a very different perspective of student bus passes. After a remark from a local regarding her public transportation experience, I checked out the Vancouver area alternatives. I was blown away by the excellent bargain they got and the fact it was not subsidized by other students (this means it doesn’t penalize the students that walk, bike, or drive to school). The U-Pass (universal pass) is available to post-secondary students for the low price of $30 per month. The really great part of the deal is that this doesn’t just cover the bus, but the Seabus and SkyTrain services as well! With such a comprehensive variety of options I would assume there is quite a bit of success with the program there.

In comparison, Winnipeg charges over $70 monthly for its substandard patchwork of buses. Other monthly public transportation rates for students consist of $89 for a metro pass in Toronto, $41 in Montreal for a combined metro and bus pass, $71 for a student bus pass in Saskatoon, and Calgary didn’t even have a student rate from the information I have been able to see on their web-site. The general adult rate there for a month-to-month bus pass is $90.

One other thing for people (not just students) who use bus passes should be aware of is the non-refundable tax credit available. For many people you may get a pretty good idea of how much money you should receive on your taxes by multiplying the yearly fee of your bus passes by .15 (15%). This is a good little bonus incentive for those of you who are already financially and environmentally mindful enough to use public transportation.

Student Bus Passes are a superb method for saving money when attending school. Cheap student public transportation is crucial to any university interested in make a subsidised service to their students.