By: Carson Leigh Olson, Talon Staff
In 2014 something changed.
The StarMetro public bus services ceased to be free for Tallahassee Community College students.
According to The Tallahassee Democrat the increase in TCC student ridership and higher comparable rates paid by FAMU and FSU prompted StarMetro to ask TCC to pay a contract closer to $500,000 versus the roughly $160,000 TCC had been paying. TCC said it could not afford the higher price and allowed the contract to expire.
4 years later the lack of free public bus services continues to impact some TCC students, while others are not affected at all.
TCC student Susana Olea said she relies on the bus to get to and from her classes.
“I even like buy the app, where like you can buy the bus ticket, and I buy like the monthly service one
because I use it so often,” Olea said.
Olea said she spends $30 on a monthly bus pass, and has to use careful budgeting to make sure she doesn’t have to sacrifice other things.
“I have other things to pay for so [the bus pass is] something that I always have to like make sure I save enough for each month when-by the time it’s like done, but yeah I have to plan ahead,” Olea said.
Nydria Daniel said she used to ride the bus, but now has a family member drop her off at TCC because it was easier after she moved.
She said she hasn’t noticed the public bus fees having a big impact on TCC students.
“Most everyone that’s in my classes, they have their own cars so I don’t really hear that much of a problem about it,” Daniel said.
TCC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Al Moran said the fact that students are still paying for public bus services 4 years later definitely has an impact.
“Our students aren’t necessarily driving up here in Rolls Royces,” Moran said. “They can use that money for other things if they didn’t have to pay for the bus so it’s a hardship for everybody.”
Dylan Stanco, a TCC student majoring in psychology, said he is used to paying for the public bus services.
“It’s normal for me now,” Stanco said. “Honestly, it doesn’t bother me too much.”
Dean Michael Coleman said the college knew in 2014 that the public bus fees would not affect every TCC student.
“But you know it’s whatever the percentage was right still we knew that you know our students are being affected regardless of how many,” Coleman said.
4 years from now Moran said there will still be an issue.
“The bottom line is that 4 years from now you’ll still have that diverse group some will be impacted, some won’t be impacted,” Moran said.
Coleman and Moran said TCC is still exploring options such as Lyft and carpooling, along with continuing to offer emergency passes for students in need.
Coleman said TCC has returned to StarMetro each year to evaluate whether there has been any change that would enable the college and the bus company to come to an agreement.
