The Journal

Issue date: 3/30/06 Section: News

Media Credit: Colleen McLaughlin Workers are finishing stations on a new line for the MetroLink light rail system. The line is expected to open later this year.

Washington University made history when it signed on to the largest agreement ever made between any university and Metro, the public transportation authority. The deal allows full-time Wash U. students, benefits-eligible faculty, staff and full-time employees the opportunity to use the MetroBus and MetroLink systems at no cost, enabling them to travel between campuses and all over the St. Louis area.

University of Missouri - St. Louis made similar arrangements with Metro in 1993 and Southwest Illinois College has offered students Metro Universal Passes, or U-Passes, since 2001. With the current expansion of the MetroLink just north of Webster's main campus near completion, administrators seem to be unsure if such a program would be used by students if offered.

Currently, Webster students have to pay for Metro passes upfront. At the start of each semester, Metro representatives set up a table on campus where students can purchase passes. Each pass is good for unlimited usage for the entire semester and cost $118.

Director of Communications at Metro, Diane Williams, said most schools do things the way Webster does. She said Wash U. is only one of three schools using the program, but has received so much press because it's the largest, with a potential of 25,000 people using the U-Passes.

Jennifer Violett, the reservations coordinator at the University Center Information Desk has to call Metro and order passes on behalf of students who do not buy passes during the days Metro is on campus. Metro then mails the passes to Violett and the students have to come by to pick them up.

John Ginsburg, director of the UC, said he heard about Washington's Metro deal in December. He said the new MetroLink will probably be of little use to most students because of its location. Only two bus lines frequent the Webster University area and there are limited night and weekend schedules. Ginsburg said on average, only about 30 Metro passes are sold at Webster each semester.

"We don't have a lot of pull because of the fact that we don't have a lot of users," Ginsburg said.

Continued...

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