Bus plan wastes students' money

The new bus plan passed by the board of trustees this summer will phase in expanded services for students during the course of the next three years. It includes universal access to Bloomington Transit, extended hours on weekends for both BT and campus services and additional campus buses. \nAll of these services will be funded by a mandatory fee paid by all students, regardless of whether they use the bus service. Exemptions will only be made for a few students, such as those studying abroad.\nThe added expense of these fees does not benefit most students, especially on-campus students who are now forced to subsidize the Bloomington Transit system. These on-campus students will still primarily use the campus bus, for which they must now still purchase an additional pass. Those off-campus students who walk, drive or live far from a BT bus stop are paying for nothing.\nStudents who ride the campus buses can appreciate the extended hours and additional buses. But can they appreciate the additional fees they are paying to fund Bloomington's buses? It's a city service most will only use for an occasional trip to the mall, if at all. \nIt is unclear exactly when, if ever, campus buses will have universal access. During the next two years, members of a committee will monitor the proposal's progress and decide if and when both systems will become universal. Meanwhile, students will face increasing mandatory costs each year. \nJust how high will the fee become? It's hard to know if the fees paid will ever match the level of services offered. Expanded services are a good idea and might eventually benefit some students. But this new plan spends students' money without offering improved or expanded services for many.