(March 20, 2019) – UTSA today announced a new partnership with VIA Metropolitan Transit that provides the entire university community with free bus passes to transport them between campuses and throughout San Antonio.
Beginning with the fall 2019 semester, VIA will provide free, unlimited access to bus service anywhere in the city for current students, faculty and staff. As San Antonio’s urban serving university, the VIA U-Pass program will offer cost savings and sustainable commuting options for all Roadrunners.
“This agreement with VIA will radically change the way UTSA approaches transportation,” said UTSA President Taylor Eighmy. “The VIA U-Pass will allow students, faculty and staff to easily move between UTSA’s campuses—and throughout San Antonio—with minimal environmental impact. Given our plans to increase enrollment to 45,000 in the next decade, this is a worthy investment that takes some financial pressure off our students while supporting the city’s sustainable transportation goals.”
The program—which will be funded fully by UTSA without any student transportation fee increases—will make it easier for Roadrunners to leave their cars at home, reducing congestion on campus roads and parking lots. VIA has a wide range of routes across the San Antonio region, including route 93 and route 94 which provide convenient and quick transportation between the university’s Main and Downtown campuses.
UTSA’s campus transit system, The ’Runner, will continue to provide Main Campus transportation to and from on-campus parking lots and select nearby apartment complexes. Additionally, campus ride sharing programs are currently being explored under the leadership of UTSA’s new Vice President of Business Affairs Veronica Mendez.
University administrators first began looking into the VIA collaboration after an internal survey initiated by the Downtown Campus Task Force showed strong interest on the part of students and employees in alternative transportation options between campuses.
“The VIA U-Pass program will advance our efforts to reduce UTSA’s carbon footprint and alleviate on-campus traffic,” said Clay Haverland, UTSA assistant vice president for Campus Services. “We are excited to move into this new era of expanded transportation opportunities.”
U-Pass riders must be currently registered UTSA students or full-time or part-time paid employees of the university. To board a VIA bus, riders will use the VIA goMobile ticketing app as their credential. All VIA buses offer instant access to the Bexar BiblioTech e-library and free 4G LTE Wi-Fi, allowing students and employees to stay connected while traveling.
VIA will monitor ridership and route use by the UTSA community, with the option to adjust routes as needed.
“We aim to offer all our students a comprehensive living and learning experience,” said Sam Gonzales, UTSA vice president for student affairs. “The VIA U-Pass will make it even easier for them to pursue experiential learning opportunities and fully engage with the city of San Antonio.”
Get VIA routes and service information.
Learn more about on-campus transportation and parking.
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The events are a collaborative effort between student organizations, student led-groups, and campus departments.
Various locations, Main and Downtown CampusesThe UTSA and San Antonio communities are invited to see the Roadrunners in action during this free game that marks the end of the spring workouts season.
Dub Farris Athletic Complex, 8400 North Loop 1604 W), San AntonioThe UTSA Alumni Association and the San Antonio Parks Foundation will co-host the official Fiesta event. The outdoor event is family-friendly, with live music, lawn games, a free mechanical bull ride, photo fun, local food, fresh sips, local art and cowboy merch. Admission is free for those who RSVP online, however there will be a $10 entry charge at the gates on the day of the event, as capacity allows.
UTSA Park West Athletics ComplexUTSA is a designated early voting site for the May 4 Joint, General and Special Election. Any registered Bexar County voter can skip the lines and cast a ballot at UTSA from Monday, April 22 to Tuesday, April 30.
H-E-B Student Union Bexar Room (HSU 1.102), Main CampusThe Campus Master Plan task force and Page consultants will share the initial draft of the master plan.
Student Union Retama Auditorium (SU 2.02.02), Main CampusThe Campus Master Plan task force and Page consultants will hold a series of meetings in late April and early May to share the initial draft of the master plan.
Buena Vista Street Building Aula Canaria (BVB 1.328), Downtown CampusIn this UTSA 50th anniversary speaker series, Roger Enriquez, UTSA associate professor of criminal justice, explores how immigration past and present helps us understand its future.
Casa Hernán, 411 Cevallos St., San AntonioGrab a friend and sign up to bowl with fellow Roadrunners and raise money for scholarships.
University Bowl, 12332 I-10 #10, San AntonioThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
