Students had a chance to voice their opinions about OC Transpo’s plan to raise the cost of the U-Pass by $70 next year at a transit town hall in the atrium Nov. 9.
Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) vice-president (student issues) Chantle Beeso said she will relay all issues brought up at the town hall with the city.
“This public forum is for the students, not for myself,” Beeso said. “It's for the students to feel like they're speaking directly to the source . . . this is for them to feel like they're actually talking to people on their behalf. I'm making sure students feel like their voice is being heard.”
Although the town hall was originally supposed to feature city councillor David Chernushenko and Mayor Jim Watson, both cancelled at the last-minute and Ottawa Centre MPP Yasir Naqvi arrived late.
Proposed changes to the U-Pass pilot project include a price increase, which would see students paying $360 a year, instead of the $290 they pay now.
After a presentation highlighting current problems with public transportation in Ottawa, Beeso opened the floor to the audience to ask their questions.
The topics ranged from whether or not the fare increases are worth the service, the future of the U-Pass and changes students want to see.
"I want to have issues raised that I'm not familiar with,” Beeso said. “I'll have students telling me certain things and I want all of their issues to feel like they're being addressed.”
Some of the issues included route optimizations, overcrowded buses and O-Trains, late buses, drivers ignoring passengers due to overcrowding and longer commute times due to route changes.
The bus schedules on routes that stop on campus, such as the 4, 111 and 7, are a major issue, said second-year student Luke Smith.
Many busses leave campus without passengers because they arrive at times when classes are in session, while others leave packed because students are forced to wait so long after class, he said.
“They should actually pay attention to the existing schedules, especially in a standardized setting such a university campus,” Smith said. “I think that they totally missed the boat on that one, and if they want to jack up the price, then they should pay attention to our ridership needs as well.”
Several full-time students asked for an opt-out option, while other part-time students said they want to opt in.
According to a poll CUSA councillor Brandon Wallingford conducted, the majority of students wouldn’t mind a fare increase if there was better service.
“We deserve what we pay for,” Wallingford said.
CUSA will meet with the chair and vice-chair of the transit commission Nov. 14 for a private meeting to further discuss the issues regarding the U-Pass.