Comments on: U-Powered U-Pass

By: Hella News Flash « Hella Bus

Hella News Flash « Hella Bus — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:54:31 +0000

[...] The University of Washington is jumping out ahead of the curve yet again with the introduction of a new U-Pass targeted specifically towards bikers and pedestrians. The U-Pass, you’ll recall, was one of the first programs in the nation to discount transit [...]

By: Seattlejo

Seattlejo — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:55:30 +0000

It shouldnt be. The bus pass for UW Bothell is $99 a quarter.

By: josh

josh — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:29:34 +0000

I agree. This is hardly a worthwhile savings. To promote wider ORCA adoption it would be great if Metro discounted fares purchased via ORCA.

By: Another Andrew

Another Andrew — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:52:54 +0000

24 bus trips at peak commuting hours is $48. And aren’t fares going up for the new year by $0.25? That would make it an even better deal if you do most of your traveling next year.

By: sgiffy

sgiffy — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:28:30 +0000

Eh, still not worth it. I mean 24 bus trips (assuming no transfers) is only 44 dollars. So thats a grand savings of 4 bucks a year and I have to deal with two cards. ORCA has rendered the Upass obsolete for me as the convince factor is gone. Regular bus passes are way out.

I kind of think ORCA will hurt Metro as it makes it easy to be a casual bus rider without buying a pass. I just put 30 or so bucks on it every now and then and it works great. Before that I was buying a Upass or regular pass.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:06:17 +0000

Yeah, but a U-Pass is still a U-Pass is still a U-Pass.

By: joshuadf

joshuadf — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:44:03 +0000

The U-Powered “pass” is a paper card that I’m supposed to write my name on. I’m betting that any vendors that offer U-PASS discounts would laugh at it, but I never used my U-PASS discount anyway.

By: joshuadf

joshuadf — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:41:39 +0000

I just switched to the U-Powered U-PASS yesterday, but for sort of opposite reasons. UW pays transit agencies a lump sum for each U-PASS holder based on average usage, so I think Metro will actually get more money out of my ORCA usage than they did from my U-PASS. (By the way, Commuter Services said you can have both a U-PASS sticker and U-Powered.)

Signing up for U-Powered also makes a statement to UW about how many people walk/bike to campus (or in my case, SLU).

By: Adam B. Parast

Adam B. Parast — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:42:53 +0000

Yeah. Just the fact that you don’t have to worry about having cash and quarters on you all the time makes it worth it.

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:42:16 +0000

If anyone wants to sell me a subsidized transit pass, please, please, please. I work for a huge employer (Seattle Public Schools), and the transit pass offering is dissapointing to say the least.

By: Sherwin Lee

Sherwin Lee — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:27:00 +0000

U-Pass is indeed very convenient for UW students. Still, many don’t realize what a steal it is, and the fact that a comparable PugetPass is three times more expensive.

By: Michael A

Michael A — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:38:37 +0000

I’m University staff, so my U-Pass is $120 per quarter. While I love the convenience, given that I bike *most* of the time, I calculated (spreadsheet; yes, I’m a geek) that I’d have to make five weekly bus trips to make the ‘standard’ U-Pass worth it. Over a year, I just don’t even get anywhere near that amount of transit usage! I’m switching to the U-Powered one tomorrow, and getting myself an ORCA. Estimated $200+ savings per year!

By: Oran Viriyincy

Oran Viriyincy — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:13:24 +0000

The UW Tacoma and UW Bothell/Cascadia CC U-Passes are fiscally separate programs from the Seattle campus U-Pass program.

By: Josef

Josef — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:39:45 +0000

Same here, even though I hardly use it (I’m “U-Powered”). The U-Powered pass though, didn’t seem like a great deal without sound transit privileges, so I stuck with the U-Pass.

By: Another Andrew

Another Andrew — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:26:48 +0000

They are good on light rail until the end of the year, as long as you ride a Metro bus first and get a transfer.

By: pds

pds — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:31:27 +0000

I have no problem paying $99 / quarter, particularly given what it provides. I loooooooove my UPASS.

By: barman

barman — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:04:54 +0000

Why is the UW Tacoma U-Pass still just $45 a quarter?

By: Jessica

Jessica — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:45:02 +0000

Not valid on Central Link? Stupid!

Since Link is Metro operated (just as is Metro-operated ST routes)

My brother says not worth it (the $99 U-PASS is just fine for him)

By: crazytrainmatt

crazytrainmatt — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:32:44 +0000

I had just emailed parking services, and you’re exactly right. Specifically,

“The bus tickets are good for either 1-zone or 2-zone Metro trips. They aren’t valid for Sound Transit bus trips, except for the limited number of Sound Transit routes that are actually operated by Metro: routes 522, 540, 545, 550, 554, 555, 556, 560, 564, 577. They aren’t valid for light rail.”

Too bad, it’s not worth my while unless I can use them on sound transit.

By: Martin H. Duke

Martin H. Duke — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:51:42 +0000

The website says that they are Metro “ride free” tickets, which are only good on Metro (and Metro-operated ST Express) and are presumably the same ones you can get in Chinook books.