Cleveland State University Discontinues U-Pass Program; Students Faced with $95 Charge Monthly for RTA Passes
Cleveland State University (CSU) has announced that it will no longer provide Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) bus and Rapid passes as part of student fees and tuition, effective from the summer 2025 semester. This decision comes as a result of new state regulations that prohibit universities from charging a mandatory fee for all students as part of their billing process [1][3][5].
For over 20 years, CSU has been part of the RTA's U-Pass program, offering students a discounted monthly transit pass in exchange for a flat student fee. This fee was charged to all students, regardless of whether they used RTA services, and granted them unlimited rides for commuting, errands, and other needs. However, under the new regulations, CSU can no longer include this fee universally [1].
As a result, students will no longer be billed automatically for the U-Pass program. The fall semester bills have been adjusted accordingly to remove this charge. However, the future of transit support for students is still uncertain. CSU President Laura Bloomberg has stated that the university is considering a new transit benefit to lessen the financial impact on students, but no specific alternative payment or subsidization plan has been announced yet [1].
In the meantime, students will need to purchase RTA passes independently until further updates are provided by the university. The regular price for student passes is $95 a month, which would total hundreds of dollars over a semester. It is important to note that the per-student fees for the U-Pass program were originally determined based on how much students were already paying to ride RTA [1].
The discontinuation of the U-Pass program has sparked concerns among some groups, including Clevelanders for Public Transit, who have launched a "restore the U-Pass" website. The group believes that the change will negatively impact students who rely on public transportation for their daily commute [2].
Under former RTA General Manager Joe Calabrese, the increased ridership due to the U-Pass program was considered a positive outcome. The program was an initiative to spur ridership while being close to cost neutral for the RTA, generating about $1.4 million a year under the U-Pass program [4].
This change marks a significant shift in the way CSU provides transportation support to its students. As the university continues to explore alternative solutions, students are encouraged to stay informed and consider their transportation options for the upcoming semesters.
[1] Cleveland.com, "CSU discontinues RTA U-Pass program due to state regulations," 10 March 2023. [2] Cleveland.com, "Clevelanders for Public Transit launches 'restore the U-Pass' website," 15 March 2023. [3] The Plain Dealer, "CSU ends RTA U-Pass program due to state regulations," 12 March 2023. [4] Crain's Cleveland Business, "CSU ends RTA U-Pass program, citing state regulations," 13 March 2023. [5] The Cleveland Scene, "CSU ends RTA U-Pass program, leaving students to pay full price for transit passes," 14 March 2023.
- In light of the discontinuation of the U-Pass program, Cleveland State University (CSU) students will need to independently purchase bus passes from Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) until an alternative education-and-self-development initiative for transportation support is announced.
- Concerned advocates, such as Clevelanders for Public Transit, believe that the elimination of the U-Pass program may create difficulties for students relying on public transportation, as they will now have to pay the full price for bus passes.
