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The City of Athens and Ohio University announced a new partnership that will allow university IDs to serve as a fare card. 

University IDs will soon allow all students, faculty, staff to travel on Athens Public Transit buses for free

Ohio University will shell out about $80,000 for the transportation partnership with the city.

In an effort to improve access to public transportation and increase sustainability, the City of Athens and Ohio University have announced a program for students and employees with a university identification card.

Ohio University President Roderick McDavis and Athens Mayor Steve Patterson announced the pilot program, "Bobcat Pass," which will allow students and employees to use their university IDs as fare cards for free, unlimited travel on Athens Public Transit beginning on July 1, according to a news release from the city and university.

“This partnership will allow the City and University to share infrastructure and other costs while working to reduce traffic pressure and improve access to and from key areas of campus,” McDavis said in the release.   

The university has until June 15 of next year to extend the program beyond its one-year pilot phase, which will by funded by OU Transportation and Parking at a maximum cost of $80,000 to the university, according to the release.

The release also states the program will “address a significant number of institutional sustainability goals” outlined in the Sustainability and Climate Action plans.

OU's Climate Action Plan, adopted in 2012, has a transportation benchmark to encourage use of “non-Single Occupancy vehicles” and to reduce total commuter emissions among students, faculty and staff by introducing alternate transportation options and incentive programs.

Data from OU's Office of Sustainability suggests transportation-related emissions from commuters accounted for more than 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in fiscal year 2015, according to the release.

The university’s Sustainability Plan, also adopted in 2012, and its recommended strategies for decreasing use of single occupancy vehicles includes implementing a transit partnership between the university and the city. The plan also recommends instituting parking pass fees for all faculty and staff on the Athens campus, improving CATS service, resources for bicycle commuters and offering incentives for carpooling.

Morgan Gresson, a sophomore studying interior architecture, said she doesn’t usually use public transportation but thought the program could be useful for trips to places on State Street.

“I think its good to have, especially for underclassmen who don’t have cars,” Gresson said.

Rebecca Zook, a senior studying journalism, said she personally doesn’t use public transit but knows a lot of people who use it and would like the idea.

“Honestly, I think that’s pretty cool,” Zook said. 

The program also includes data collection on commuter behaviors, which the news release says should help Hocking Athens Perry Community Action “optimize routes in the long-term.”

“This partnership may be the leverage that Athens Public Transportation and HAPCAP needs to become recognized as a Regional Transit Authority,” Patterson said in the release.   

nj342914@ohio.edu

@norajaara

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