Saturday, November 14, 2009

transit letter

Mohawk students should reconsider bus deal

,
The Hamilton Spectator
(Nov 14, 2009)

Re: 'Mohawk student union turned down bus deal' (Letters, Nov. 9)

Discounted bus passes for full-time Mohawk College students has been a dead issue for 10 years. That was the last time it was put to the student body in a referendum.

Since then, Mohawk as a "commuter college" has been the refrain among student representatives. It seemed most were content to see streams of single- occupancy vehicles crowd the Fennell Campus parking lot, while students who took the bus paid regular adult fares. No wonder most choose to drive.

The cost of eight months' worth of adult fare passes is currently $632, while parking on campus is $225 per semester. If cost is the same, most will choose to drive.

Over the past month, students have collected signatures on a petition asking the student association to explore the possibility of a bus pass. The response has been overwhelming; 1,600 signatures have been collected.

Maybe the old label of "commuter college" can finally be expanded to include those who commute within Hamilton on public transit.




No comments: