The Long Beach State U-Pass offered students unlimited access to public transportation services in the Long Beach area, but was discontinued in 2020 due to high expenses.
Through U-Pass, students were given access to buses and trains operated by Long Beach Transit (LBT) and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), a beneficial program for student commuters.
“I ride the Long Beach bus two to three times a day honestly,” fourth-year communications major Lu Light said. “I take the Long Beach Metro every now and then.”
The U-Pass program exists at other universities and community colleges in Los Angeles County such as CSU Northridge, University of California Los Angeles and Santa Monica City College.
At CSULB, the program’s expenses prompted an evaluation on its cost-effectiveness.
“It was a pretty expensive program for the university. It’s in the millions,” CSULB Project Manager Chad Keller said. “Last number I saw was in spring of 2020 and it showed 380 passes sold for Metro.”
Despite its convenience, cost won out and the program was discontinued after 2020.
“It is kind of upsetting because it would be nice if we had U-Pass here, because when I went to my community college, they had a free pass and when I transferred here they didn’t offer anything,” fourth-year student worker and economics major Walter Huezo said.
With the U-Pass program no longer in service, the university may need to explore alternative solutions that strike a balance between affordability and effectiveness.
The U-Pass promoted sustainable transportation options, but also enhanced student mobility and access to educational, recreational and employment opportunities. While efforts were made to review the program’s efficiency and affordability, its cost left a gap in transportation options for students.
“I think that we do have a lot of resources on campus and especially being a larger CSU I do think the community at large would benefit from it [U-Pass],” Light said.
The discussion surrounding the U-Pass’s importance and sustainable transportation options has led to an ongoing exploration of alternatives to meet the diverse needs of students and the broader community.