U.S. Senator Charles Schumer is floating new proposed legislation that could save New York students thousands of dollars in transportation costs.
Dubbed the University Transit Rider Innovation Program (UTRIP), the federal measure would provide funding for a national college student discounted transit fare program. The discount would apply to college and grad school students using mass transit, such as the subway or the public bus system.
Currently, the cost of an unlimited 30-day MetroCard amounts to over $1,300 a year. The program would off-set the cost of this student discount by providing federal funding to all transit agencies that offer a discount of at least 25 percent.
“When it comes to the cost of commuting back and forth to college, quite frankly, our New York City students feel like they’re being taken for a ride,” said Schumer. “Unlike other services—even restaurants—that offer college students a well-deserved discount, transit agencies almost never have a program in place that gives college students a bit of a break.”
Students living on campus pursuing internships off-campus would also benefit from this legislation. Schumer included these students in the UTRIP program, stressing that internship choice should not be limited by the cost of transportation.
Discount MetroCards are currently only available for New York City students in grades K-12. Schumer hopes the discounts will not only save college students money, but also increase mass transit ridership while cutting down on congestion and pollution. Transit agencies will also benefit from additional federal support.
“The point of this legislation is to give college students some relief – because so many are working so hard to pay tuition and are also taking on large amounts of debt to get by – while at the same time working to ensure cash-strapped transit agencies like the MTA don’t have to shoulder the burden,” said Schumer.
