Bus rides for Red River College students could soon be getting a lot cheaper.
A new city report recommends RRC be included in the Winnipeg Transit U-Pass program, along with the University of Manitoba and University of Winnipeg.
The current U-Pass contract expires on May 31, and the city is proposing a new four-year contract which will see the U-Pass cost $160.75 per term.
That’s a 61 per cent discount off a full-fare monthly pass.
But it’s up from the $136.25 the pass currently costs per term, which was giving students a 66 per cent discount.
Adding Red River to the mix would require the purchase of four additional buses at a cost of $2.768 million, but the city says this would be offset by the proposed rate increase.
RELATED: University of Manitoba Students’ Union wants changes to U-Pass
Additional changes are also coming to the program.
Students outside city boundaries and the perimeter, but excluding St. Norbert, will be able to opt out of the pass. All full-time students at the schools have to pay the fee at the beginning of the school year.
The report says this affects between 60 and 93 students.
The current U-Pass timeline is Sept. 1- April 30. For students who have classes which start in late August or extend into early May, a new 14-day post-secondary pass is being offered to address these issues.
However, the city says they will not be recommending a summer U-Pass (May 1-Aug. 31), which has been requested by the University of Manitoba Students’ Union.
The report will be tabled at the Nov. 4 Infrastructure and Public Works Committee meeting.