With the next HSR bus pass referendum expected in 2023, McMaster students have mixed feelings about the current contract
All full-time McMaster University students have access to an unlimited Hamilton Street Railway bus pass included in their yearly tuition. The HSR bus pass was implemented and maintained through a contract between McMaster University and the HSR.
The HSR contract is renegotiated and renewed every three years through a referendum, in which students vote on whether to continue to pay the mandatory HSR tuition fees. The next referendum is expected to occur in 2023. Current HSR bus pass costs are $232.94 for undergraduate students and $294.15 for graduate students.
The results of the graduate student 2017 HSR referendum were posted by the Graduate Students Association. 36.6 per cent of eligible voters voted in the referendum and 81.7 per cent of voters opted to renew the HSR bus pass contract.
The next referendum occurred in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to online schooling and postponed campus residence, the HSR bus pass deal was temporarily suspended. As remote schooling continued into the Fall 2020 semester, the bus pass fees for that term were reduced 75 per cent from the normal cost. Additionally, there was a temporary implementation of opt-in/opt-out options for the remainder of the term.
The bus pass fully resumed operations in the 2021 winter semester and has remained active since.
The HSR contract has been sustained throughout several referendums, reflecting how the majority of students continue to find the HSR contract beneficial.
Third year undergraduate student Kieran D’Sena spoke about his own frequent use of the bus pass and its importance to students who don’t live in the immediate vicinity of the McMaster campus.
“I frequently talk to [students] who live downtown and they rely on the bus to get to class. Having [the bus pass] included in the tuition makes the process so much simpler,” said D’Sena.
“I frequently talk to [students] who live downtown and they rely on the bus to get to class. Having [the bus pass] included in the tuition makes the process so much simpler.”
Kieran D'Sena, Third year undergraduate student
Third year undergraduate student Luca Scanga explained that although he does not require the HSR to get to campus, his bus pass is still an integral part of his routine and develop a greater relationship with Hamilton.
“Even though I live very close to campus, I need the HSR for grocery shopping, getting around to other people's houses in Westdale and Ainsley Wood, and getting downtown. If you don't have a car, which most students don't, it's great for getting around the city," said Scanga.
“Even though I live very close to campus, I need the HSR for grocery shopping, getting around to other people's houses in Westdale and Ainsley Wood, and getting downtown. If you don't have a car, which most students don't, it's great for getting around the city."
Luca Scanga, Third year undergraduate student
Other discussions brew among McMaster students, shedding light on alternative perspectives regarding the HSR bus pass. The r/McMaster subreddit hosts conversations from students expressing frustration with the mandatory bus pass tuition fees. Students do not currently have the option to selectively remove HSR fees from their tuition.
Regular adult HSR bus fare is $3.25. A student who requires the HSR to get on to campus may use their bus pass approximately 130 times during the fall and winter semesters, excluding holidays. With adult prices a student would be paying $409.50 in bus fares a year, which exceeds current HSR tuition fees.
This is an ongoing story.
At a Public Works meeting on Nov. 4, MSU president David Campbell and VP (Finance) Jeffrey Doucet briefed councillors on the MSU's proposed improvements to HSR service. The MSU is exploring a 12-month HSR student discount or a student opt-in during the summer, in addition to expanded service on the 51 route.
The MSU-HSR agreement expires every three years and is currently under renegotiation.
The MSU's proposed changes would cost roughly $400,000 more, according to the HSR's estimate. Negotiations are underway regarding how much of the cost would be shouldered by students and how much the City would invest. The results of the negotiation, including potential student fee changes, are expected to go to referendum in January 2014 during the MSU presidential election.
Before Campbell and Doucet began their presentation at City Hall this morning, some committee members questioned whether the MSU should address the committee with negotiations underway.
"I just need some clarity on the delegation - are we in negotiations with McMaster?" councillor Powers asked. "This is very awkward."
"You're going to have people who are negotiating with the City speak their case in public while binding the City from speaking their case in public," another councillor said.
The meeting's chair clarified that the committee was only to listen to the presentation and not take action.
After the initial confusion, Campbell emphasized that the MSU wanted "to give an update on the work [they are] doing with transit as it relates to retention in the city."
Currently, students pay $126.15 for an 8-month bus pass effective between September and April. Summer students may choose to buy a discounted HSR pass at $71 per month.
"Students are very happy with the value of our bus pass...but students have indicated to us that they want to invest more into transit to target enhanced service to the campus during the day as well as summer service. Those are the two issues students want us to work on," Doucet said.
The MSU also proposed that a further discount on summer bus passes would give students incentive to stay in Hamilton during the summer and consider staying in the city long-term.
When asked about summer student demographics, Doucet said about 6,000 students took summer classes last year, but most were taking just one or two courses.
"We see a lot of students getting research-type grants and who are working on campus but might not be in classes," he added.
During the question period, councillors were interested in whether enhanced service would lead to an increased student presence outside of Westdale.
"Students staying around in the summer - it's a huge factor in them being able to see the value in living in the city long-term," Campbell said. "We think the two main obstacles to students staying around in the summer are jobs and then the difficulty of getting to the jobs."
The MSU will meet with HSR representatives later this week to discuss their proposal submitted in August.
