Ottawa's 2012 draft budget would make mandatory university student bus passes revenue-neutral for OC Transpo, but raise the price significantly more than for other riders.
The Carleton University Student's Association said the increase on the U-Pass would be a $70 increase, from the $145 students at Carleton and the University of Ottawa pay per semester as part of their student fees – just short of a 50 per cent increase.
The city said the increase will be $40, which would be a 27.6 per cent increase.
The rest of the city's riders will see fares increase by 2.5 per cent, according to the draft budget.
Students said the value for their money isn't good.
"I just think it's silly because we're already paying too much tuition as students, and the adults only have to pay 2.5 per cent more," said one.
The city said that the U-Pass is still less than half the price of a regular annual bus pass, although the U-Pass is only good for eight months.
A $185 U-Pass would work out to $46.26 per month, while an adult monthly pass is $94 as of July 1, 2011.
A $215 U-Pass equals $53.76 a month over eight months.
