Pollution and Traffic

RCCD Student’s New Car Key

Go to school, work, visit friends and family, the movies, or anywhere RTA buses go.

Unlimited Free Rides 7 days a week during all hours of operation until August 2010.

Demonstration Go-Pass Program

In August 2008, a demonstration Go-Pass program was established at RCCD

Fully funded ($125,000 per yr.) by the cities of Corona, Norco, Riverside, Moreno Valley and Perris and the County of Riverside.

No funding available past the 2009-10 academic year.

A permanent program can become reality if funded by student fees.

Ridership Results

Extremely popular: Ridership for RCCD students on RTA went from 2% of the student body to over 10%. (3,400)

70,000 monthly boardings on RTA buses.

1,000,000 rides by the 14th month.

RTA celebrated 1-Millionth ride by giving away an Ipod Touch.

Environmental Results

Reactive Organic Gases (ROG) 1,379 pounds

Nitrous Oxides (NOx) 1,280 pounds

Particulate Matter (PM10) 468 pounds

Carbon Monoxide (CO) 7.4 tons

(Based on Go-Pass ridership data and South Coast Air Quality Management District vehicle emission formula)

Benefits of Go-Pass Program

Helps a number of students who cannot afford a car to travel to school and workRemoves cars from congested roads. Thus decreasing traffic and vehicle emissionsEliminated the need for over 1,000 parking spaces, which, with a $17,550 price per parking space if a parking structure is needed, equates to over $17.5 million saved for the school.*

For surface lot parking construction at $7,780 per parking space, over $7.8 million would be saved.*

*Parking space construction costs from The Economics of Urban Transportation by Kenneth Small and Erik Kernhoef, Routledge Publishing, New York, NY, 2007; page 113.

AB 774In February 2009, Assemblyman Paul Cook introduced AB 774. Signed by governor on October 11, 2009Allows community college districts statewide to charge students an equal small fee for transportation programs such as Go-Pass.The bill does NOT impose a Go-Pass fee; RCCD students and the Board of Trustees have to vote to impose a fee.This authorization also gives governing boards the ability to adopt rules and regulations

What I have learned

Networking

Perseverance

Together We Create Opportunities

Navigating student government

Legislative process

Value of volunteering