Spring Break
No plans for Razorback Transit to charge public
Brian Lofton
Issue date: 11/7/08 Section: News
UA students are charged a transit fee to use the UA transit bus system, which runs all around Fayetteville.
However, the UA transit services are open to the Fayetteville public free of charge, and some students question their absence of funding.
"Other cities [require the public to pay] - so why not at the Razorback Transit?" UA freshman Serena Jackson said.
Last year, 1.22 million unlinked trips were given to passengers of the Razorback Transit, according to the Transit and Parking Department Web site.
The ratio of bus riders is about 80:20, in favor of university faculty and staff, said Mike Seither, TPD associate director.
Seither urged students to take advantage of the transit services and recognized its economic benefits.
"The 1990s economy boomed because of the advancement of the computer," Seither said. "Going green will be the economic engine for the next decade."
TPD officials hope to cut back on vehicle use on campus to help support Seither's theory. They also aim to save students money on gas, as well as help keep the environment clean, with Razorback Tranist, which navigates throughout campus and the city.
Transit services also help keep students out of sticky campus parking situations, Seither said.
"It saves gas, and I can get homework done on my 40 minute trip on the way home," Jackson said.
Some may wonder why a student-funded transit is open to the public.
But those who believe Razorback Transit is solely funded by student fees are incorrect.
"It costs $3 million every year to run the transit service," Seither said. "Student fees only cover one-third of that."
The remaining $2 million is provided by the federal ($1.4 million), state ($350,000) and local government ($50,000).
Also, UA transit acquires $50,000 of its funds from advertisements.
And if the federal government is helping fund Razorback Transit, it must be open to the public, Seither said.
However, the UA transit services are open to the Fayetteville public free of charge, and some students question their absence of funding.
"Other cities [require the public to pay] - so why not at the Razorback Transit?" UA freshman Serena Jackson said.
Last year, 1.22 million unlinked trips were given to passengers of the Razorback Transit, according to the Transit and Parking Department Web site.
The ratio of bus riders is about 80:20, in favor of university faculty and staff, said Mike Seither, TPD associate director.
Seither urged students to take advantage of the transit services and recognized its economic benefits.
"The 1990s economy boomed because of the advancement of the computer," Seither said. "Going green will be the economic engine for the next decade."
TPD officials hope to cut back on vehicle use on campus to help support Seither's theory. They also aim to save students money on gas, as well as help keep the environment clean, with Razorback Tranist, which navigates throughout campus and the city.
Transit services also help keep students out of sticky campus parking situations, Seither said.
"It saves gas, and I can get homework done on my 40 minute trip on the way home," Jackson said.
Some may wonder why a student-funded transit is open to the public.
But those who believe Razorback Transit is solely funded by student fees are incorrect.
"It costs $3 million every year to run the transit service," Seither said. "Student fees only cover one-third of that."
The remaining $2 million is provided by the federal ($1.4 million), state ($350,000) and local government ($50,000).
Also, UA transit acquires $50,000 of its funds from advertisements.
And if the federal government is helping fund Razorback Transit, it must be open to the public, Seither said.
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