<p>Soo... I hear that we don't get CTA passes included in the fees we have to pay? I definitely need one so I can visit my friends going to Depaul, Loyola, UIC, U of C, etc. And I want to use it for going to other parts of Chicago for fun, plus for when I go home over breaks ( I live in the suburbs). Is there any way I can get a pass through NU, even if it is extra $ because my friends @ Loyola have a special one only for Loyola students that was in their fees. I really need one, so would I have to get it through the CTA? And how do I do this?</p>
<p>As far as I know, theres nothing like that for NU. I think they have a deal like that because they’re actually in the city whereas we’re in the suburbs.</p>
<p>it’s called a UPass, and even though we’ve been arguing for one for years, we still don’t have one. It doesn’t have anything to do with being in the city, UChicago doesn’t have a UPass either.</p>
<p>Well to be fair, UChicago isn’t exactly downtown…</p>
<p>The school has to sign a contract for it to get into the U-Pass program. The school has to agree that all full-time students except for those with certain disabilities have to get the pass. The U-pass fee does vary by school.</p>
<p>My understanding that this has always been put up for a vote but the majority of students always vote it down so it never gets passed. Most people seem to think the Intercampus Shuttle is enough to get around. Unfortunately, those who want to use the CTA frequently are out of luck since there are no discounts for college students if the university doesn’t sign the contract with CTA.</p>
<p>IMO, CTA sucks anyways. Befriend a local and carpool, or something. </p>
<p>The best thing about Chicago is that you can actually drive through the city. But the CTA is by far the WORST public transportation system I have seen (having traveled numerous major cities).</p>
<p>Really? CTA has been better than what I’ve been used to in Seattle and especially San Francisco. I would kill for a U-pass right about now. According to the Daily NU, people who want U-passes outnumber those who don’t 70%-30%:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/city/even-with-fare-hike-u-passes-unlikely-for-nu-1.2042140[/url]”>http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/city/even-with-fare-hike-u-passes-unlikely-for-nu-1.2042140</a></p>
<p>(note that the fare hike mentioned in that article did not happen)</p>
<p>Frankly, it costs $50k a year to go here. I don’t see how adding $200 a year so that students can have affordable transportation is such a horrendous thing. Suck it up, ye 30% nay-sayers, you pay for a lot of things that you specifically don’t need here.</p>
<p>When the U-Pass initially came to UIC, the vote was very close, 55 vs 45. For the renewal vote, it passed without much controversy, 85 vs 15. The issue is getting it initially accepted.</p>
<p>sirsteveh, i think the issue you brought up was discussed in asg (student gov’t). the thing is if you want your 200 to be worth it, you would have to go into Chicago at least once a week…something that you’ll find isn’t very plausible with midterms scattered throughout the quarter.</p>
<p>It would cost every student $70/ quarter. I have a Chicago Card Plus, and spend roughly $25 a quarter at the VERY most (and that includes covering my girlfriend’s expenses half the time). Yes, I would go into the city more often if I had an unlimited pass. No, I would not go in an extra 10~ times. It’s not cost effective for the vast majority of the NU student body, and I hope we don’t pass the resolution. I was upset we didn’t have a UPass when I first heard about it as a freshman, but when I realized how the numbers worked out, it was absolutely not worth it.</p>
<p>It’s about $110 at UIC. At UIC, it is good for 17 weeks. If you commute using the CTA, it pays for itself within a month or so. The most vocal opposition to the U-pass were the driving commuters and the disabled. However, the disabled are given a way to waive the fee.</p>
<p>I’m not debating whether the “average” student is going to find it feasible to use. Many will (note the 70% in the poll), and many won’t. Suffice it to say that I have very good reasons to be in Chicago a lot (and not just the particular places where the shuttle runs, and not just on Saturdays, etc.), and such a pass would save me a lot of money.</p>
<p>Frankly, though, college students convince themselves they’re a hell of a lot more busy than they really are. Don’t know about you, but midterms really don’t bother me such that I’m completely immobilized for weeks.</p>
<p>I would suggest getting a Chicago card plus because you get a slight discount on fares. Honestly as an NU student you might be too optimistic on how often you will visit those friends. It would be great if we could get the UPass, BUT our intercampus shuttle is great if you need to get to Loyola (there is a stop there) and Michigan Ave (near the NU Lakeshore campus).</p>
<p>You don’t get the discount anymore. It’s really frustrating.</p>