Metro Project

As Charlie said, we've run into a few problems, but there is still hope!

The most recent of the problems is start up costs. After several meetings with the card office to work out the best way to streamline the TAP card application process, the initial estimate given was $2,400. We conceded that this cost would be too high to request from a $20,000 at the tail end of the application deadline. Although we were unable to fully get the program on it feet this semester, we have come up with a basic outline for what the tap card application process at oxy could look like in the future.

The first thing we hope to do it put together Metro packets for the orientation bag each frosh receives. This would include a TAP card application, info regarding Metro use at oxy and direct the student to the new public transportation website (for now its the blog we created until the web re-design is complete).

On the website will be a step by step process telling the student what they need to do in order to complete a VALID TAP application.

The card office has a agreed (pending costs etc.) to be involved a few important steps. First providing the student with a photo of themselves and also using the student's account (Bengal bucks, or flex) to take care of a small fee for the photo and the $1 application fee required by Metro.

The next step would be to go to the registrar and get a proof of enrollment before returning the completed form back to the card office where it will be mailed to Metro.

It sounds like a lot, but it definitely simplifies the process for students and makes paying for the card easier in using the students oxy account rather than out of pocket money (you'll need it to refill your card!) The student TAP card is definitely worth it anyway as it cost half of what a normal card does to refill.

So that's is obviously just a beginning step towards bringing metro to oxy. Other ideas building off of this are, to name a few: --Subsidizing faculty and staff cards (Cal Tech gives you cash in hand, if you present your TAP card at a designated site after commuting)
-Subsidizing cards for students who do not bring cars onto campus
-Building a relationship between oxy and metro (this is really important if we want to receive discounts from Metro, especially for staff and faculty since there are not discounted TAP cards available unless the school is associated with Metro)

I'm excited about getting more people to use Metro and public transit, but the most important thing to do is build up the hype and get people interested. So please follow our blog, tweet it, put it as your facebook status, tell your freinds about and of course use it to get your metro info. Here's the link again...Oxy Rides Metro!

-Malachi Krishok