After years of discussion, the Sheridan Students Union (SSU) has announced a vote for late November on ratifying a potential universal bus pass for Sheridan College students that will allow for unlimited travel on Brampton Transit, MiWay, and Oakville Transit.

Currently, the student union runs a bus service between Brampton’s Davis campus, Mississauga’s Hazel McCallion campus, and Oakville’s Trafalgar campus. As the college has indicated that funding is no longer sustainable, the SSU will be asking students to vote between November 26-30.

The new pass would cost $197.15 per semester (roughly $49.28 per month). While this is higher than other U-PASSes in Ontario, this would be the only one that grants access to three separate systems. Even for a student only using Brampton Transit, this would be a saving of almost $75 per month for students above the age of 19 (and almost $60 for students eligible for the youth category).

If the referendum is passed, the new non-refundable pass will be funded as of the 2019-2020 school year, and the campus shuttle will end the following year. If the referendum fails, another one will follow the next year on whether to keep running the campus shuttle.

Brampton Transit and Oakville Transit, despite the long history of Sheridan College in both municipalities, don’t offer any form of post-secondary fare, unlike neighbouring cities. MiWay, for example, already has a mandatory U-Pass agreement with University of Toronto Mississauga students that costs $25 per month for eight months.

The mandatory student pass would only be applicable for students enrolled full-time during any of the three semesters per year and part-time students wouldn’t be eligible.

Students who have a genuine inability to use transit will be able to opt-out on a case-by-case basis.

Brampton students who attend Sheridan College may wish to seek answers to their questions on November 6 between 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. in the Student Centre Atrium.

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