In the spring of this year, the Student Government of Seattle University (SGSU) passed a resolution, initiating a project they have been working towards for years: obtaining fully subsidized ORCA cards for all Seattle University students.
“SGSU has been extremely passionate about ORCA cards for years, and last year we had a really strong push to get it done,” SGSU President and main author of the resolution, Diego Gonzalez, said.
According to him, the current solution, titled “Resolution on University Support of Student Public Transportation,” is similar to what the University of Washington (UW) does: UW charges every student a fee per quarter as part of tuition, and after that, it would be up to the student how much they choose to use their card.
ORCA stands for “One Regional Card for All,” and the program aims to make public transit in Seattle easier to use. The card works similarly to other prepaid cards: riders deposit money into their accounts, then tap the cards to pay at any public transit stop.
The cards work on all public transit in King County, with a few exceptions for special occasions and services.
SGSU worked with the Laudato Si’ Action Platform and other campus groups to draft, vote on and ultimately pass the resolution, whose ultimate goal is to obtain fully subsidized ORCA cards for every student. While that hasn’t happened yet, the university is already feeling some benefits.
After the resolution was passed, SGSU bought 25 ORCA cards pre-loaded with $100. The cards were quickly reserved, and to Gonzalez, that’s a success.
“We’re directly helping students as they go on throughout their lives,” Gonzalez said. “If we can alleviate any amount of the financial burden of going to school, that’s a good thing.”
Students at Seattle U appreciate that help.
“The cost of living in Seattle is really high,” First-year Physics Major Rin Frank said. “Bus fares and stuff can add up.”
Frank’s sentiment is shared by commuter students, too. Many live in the Seattle area but drive to campus up to five days a week – an expensive and inconvenient endeavour thanks to traffic, high fuel prices and the cost of parking on campus.
“Public transit is slow, but it can beat driving in Seattle traffic,” First-year Electrical Engineering Major and commuter student Alex Gilliland said.
If it were cheaper and better maintained, Gilliland said, he would be even more inclined to use public transit. While SGSU can’t do anything about the slow service, they can help with the fares. With the price increase that was enacted this September, that help is more important than ever.
Prices on King County Metro buses increased by $0.25 while the Seattle Streetcar increased by $0.75, making fares for both services $3. This may not seem like a lot, but small purchases can add up, especially for college students who also have to pay for a myriad of education-related expenses.
“I’m from Tahoe, [California], and transit is free there,” Frank said. “It’s a lot more expensive here.”
Unfortunately, the expenses associated with using public transit are the very thing that’s preventing SGSU from obtaining the fully subsidized ORCA cards. According to Gonzalez, the biggest obstacle between Seattle U and the subsidized cards is funding.
“We have a rough idea, and we’re having conversations about it, but the big question is where the money is going to come from,” Gonzalez said.
A similar model is already in place at Seattle U, where students pay a fee for unlimited use of the University Recreation Center (UREC). These fees help cover the UREC’s costs, and any unused portion benefits those who use the UREC.
Ultimately, Gonzalez is confident that fully subsidized ORCA cards will become a reality for students sooner rather than later.
“I won’t make any promises, but it could be a year or a couple years. In the scope of the university’s lifetime, I’d say that’s relatively soon,” Gonzales said.
In the meantime, students looking for deals on ORCA cards can visit the Transportation and Parking Services webpage to obtain a 50% subsidized card through the university. Alternatively, cards can be checked out at the front desk of the Student Center.
