Page One

Editor:  

In his letter (Daily Planet, 3/6), UC Director of Transportation Nadesan Permaul suggests that a bus-only Eco Pass transit pass might not be the answer for promoting transit use by UC employees.  

If UC wants a broader Eco Pass that includes BART, that would certainly be desirable and is also exactly what the City wants.  

The General Plan Transportation Element, adopted by the City Council last December calls for an Eco Pass program that includes both AC Transit and BART. The AC Transit Eco Pass program for City employees is only a first step. It is quite true that many people who commute to Berkeley by public transit take BART rather than riding a bus.  

Involving BART would certainly be a good idea. Right now, it costs more for UC employees who live in places like Concord or Hayward to commute by BART than to park in a UC lot. Why take BART when UC's below-market parking rates, even after recent increases, are less than the cost of a round-trip BART ride?  

However, there is no reason why UC shouldn't start with an AC Transit pass as the City has done. AC Transit has been willing to work with the City on Eco Pass and with UC on the Class Pass. BART may take longer to persuade, though hopefully they will get involved as well.  

Mr. Permaul suggests that it's too soon to tell whether Berkeley's Eco Pass program will be successful in reducing demand for parking. Evidence from existing Eco Pass-type programs in other cities and on other campuses shows that these programs have been successful in increasing transit use.  

UC shouldn't be afraid to give it a try.  

UCLA is now in the second year of a two year pilot transit pass program called Bruin Go. This program allows not just students, but faculty and staff as well, to ride Santa Monica's Blue Bus system for free. It is funded with parking fee revenues. Initial indications are that it has reduced demand for parking. If UC Berkeley tries Eco Pass for a couple of years and it proves unsuccessful, they can always discontinue it.  

Mr Permaul concludes that UC is going to work with City staff to achieve the goals of the Southside/Downtown TDM Study. One of the major recommendations of that study is to "Develop a City-Supported EcoPass Program".  

The TDM study suggests that Eco Pass costs be paid by employers and specifically calls for UC involvement. The TDM study has this to say about Eco Pass programs: "Almost all the prepaid fare programs implemented between employers and transit agencies have been successful,...".  

So, if UC is serious about implementing the TDM study and encouraging employee transit use, they should stop making excuses and move forward with Eco Pass.  

Rob Wrenn,  

Planning Commission  

Berkeley