Sunshine Coast Region-al District (SCRD) directors voted last week to not proceed with free student bus passes at this time, but to instead look at fare reductions for students as part of a transit fee review next year.
The decision came after BC Transit reported that free student bus passes would cost the Sunshine Coast Transit System almost $80,000 in annual lost revenue — an estimated 11 per cent of total fare revenue.
There would also be an additional $7,000 price tag for programming equipment in the first year and labour costs to administer the program.
In his report to the infrastructure services committee on Sept. 4, SCRD transit manager Rob Williams listed a series of potential issues that could result if free student passes were issued.
They included the need for a larger tax subsidy to offset the revenue loss, the danger of further losses from the fraudulent distribution of passes, heavy school district involvement to administer student picture ID cards, potential competition with school bus contractors and excessive passenger overloads at peak times.
“Student fares are already discounted,” Will-iams added, “and the SCRD has a program in place for families that permits up to four people 12 and under to travel free with an adult with a monthly pass.”
Committee chair Lee Turnbull said she viewed the report as a starting point. “I don’t think we should throw the idea away,” she said. “I think we should look at it as a joint-use issue.”
Staff were directed to discuss the topic with School District No. 46 officials before it’s brought back for next year’s transit fee review.
In June, the SCRD board asked for a staff report estimating the impact on transit costs and revenues if free student passes were introduced.
