This article originally appeared on APU.edu.
With a growing graduate student population and many undergraduate students who choose to commute, access to affordable and reliable transportation is vital to their success. To help meet this need, Azusa Pacific University is partnering with Foothill Transit to offer all students a Class Pass starting in fall 2019, allowing students to ride all Foothill Transit busses for free for the 2019-20 school year, then at a heavily discounted rate moving forward.
“A lot of students have inquired about discounts for public transportation,” said Rhianna Pierre, Director of Commuter Life. “This new partnership with Foothill Transit will benefit many students.”
Here is how the Class Pass cost and savings breakdown:
Free: the Class Pass will be free for all APU students during the 2019-20 school year. The Silver Streak pass, which runs from downtown Los Angeles to Montclair, is included at no additional charge.
After the 2019-20 school year, the Class Pass will be significantly discounted from the normal monthly pass rate. The Silver Streak will still be included for free.
Students can save more than $1,000 a year with the Class Pass.
“This is really reasonably priced for students and they should take full advantage of it,” Pierre said. The Class Pass is open to all students, not just commuters. Pierre said it can be especially convenient for freshmen, who usually don’t have cars on campus. Pierre conducted a survey of 134 APU students to gauge interest in the Class Pass. According to the survey, 29 percent of respondents said it would help them get to and from school every day; 83 percent said it would allow them to conveniently access LA and Pasadena for recreational use; 41 percent said it would allow them to get to their job or internship every day.
Pierre aims to make it easier for commuters to succeed at APU. “My goal is to constantly provide resources and opportunities so commuters feel like they’re seen and heard. We want to meet their needs and create an environment where all our students can thrive academically and feel supported.”
Students can sign up for their free Class Pass in the fall in the Cougar Dome. The pass is a sticker that goes on the Student ID. With the pass, students can travel to more than 25 cities around Southern California, including: Azusa, Glendora, Covina, West Covina, San Dimas, Pasadena, Los Angeles, Pomona, Hacienda Heights, Whittier, Claremont and Brea.