City of Whitehorse, Yukon College and Student Union renew transit partnership

WHITEHORSE-Full-time credit students at Yukon College will have access to free transit again this academic year. The College, City of Whitehorse, and Yukon College Student Union have renewed their partnership allowing full-time student I.D. cards to be used as a bus pass from September 2, 2014 to May 30, 2015.

“The pilot initiative last year was enthusiastically embraced by our students and very successful,” said Dr. Karen Barnes, Yukon College President. “The City’s decision to extend transit service to 10 p.m. was a powerful demonstration that the students’ requests had been heard and contributed to our desire to renew this partnership.”

Overall more people are taking the bus. Figures from the City of Whitehorse show that overall ridership on the Takhini-Yukon College bus route saw an increase of over 850 people for the month of October 2013, when compared with a similar period in 2012.

“I am delighted that full-time students will continue to use their I.D. cards as transit passes. This is an excellent partnership between the College, Student Union, and City of Whitehorse. The City is committed to delivering transit services to students and Whitehorse citizens that help build a more sustainable community and provide healthy transportation options,” said Dan Curtis, City of Whitehorse Mayor.

Last year, the pilot program cost the College and Student Union $22,289 each to supplement the cost of a discounted bus pass for 385 full time students in the fall term, and 334 full time students in the winter term.

“We have received a lot of feedback from students about how important the transit initiative is to them, so we are pleased to renew it for a second year, and remain committed to ensuring it is a sustainable project for the Student Union in the long term,” said Matt Landry, Yukon College Student Union President.

Full-time students are issued a yellow I.D. card in the 2014 fall term that doubles as a transit pass. In the 2015 winter term the full-time I.D. card will be blue.