When Parking Is Cheap, Students Don't Take the Bus

Students and faculty at Austin Community College are less inclined to make use of their discounted transit passes. But, why?

1 minute read

August 2, 2017, 2:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Austin Bus

i-Ride Capital Metro / Flickr

"[T]he Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors learned that a partnership with Austin Community College has seen dwindling fortunes since its launch at the beginning of the decade," reports Caleb Pritchard.

The program offers discounted transit passes to ACC students and faculty. "In 2012, Green Pass ridership peaked at 107,000 trips. Four years later, that number fell to 52,000," according to Pritchard.

Pritchard quotes Capital Metro's business development coordinator Greg Buford, who offers his theory as to why the program is losing popularity on campus: "In my personal opinion, I think the reason we’re seeing a decrease in ridership is because of the relative price of parking versus transit." The cost for an annual parking pass: $15.

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