URSU Spring/Summer 2023 U-Pass
Visit the URSU Member Services Desk on the second floor of the Riddell Centre to activate your URSU Spring/Summer 2023 U-Pass. For $100, you get a city-wide Regina transit pass, which means unlimited rides for the Spring and/or Summer semester. This at a rate cheaper than the currently discounted post-secondary student rates for single rides (20 for $55) or a pass, which is $78 per month. All University of Regina students that are URSU members are eligible to get the U-Pass.
There are 2 bus passes to choose from. The Spring U-Pass is $100 and runs from April 27th to June 30th. The Summer bus pass is also $100 and runs from June 30th to September 6th. Anyone with a U of R or Saskpolytech student ID is eligible to get the Spring and Summer U-Pass. We cannot activate or re-activate a card if you do not bring it in person, and you must be present to activate the card. If you do not have a URegina Student ID Card, please get one from the University’s Registrar’s Office located on the second floor of the Ad/Hum building. The U-Pass is only available from the URSU Member Services Desk, if you have any questions please contact admin@ursu.ca.
See us at URSU during regular office hours, weekdays 9am to 4pm exept Wednsday 9am to 7pm , and one of our friendly Customer Service Representatives can help you get you on your way – on your way to those important appointments, home after class, or just seeing the sights of the city!
Frequently Asked Questions
What will the U-Pass cost?
The Spring U-Pass and Summer U-Pass cost $100 each. Students pay for the bus pass at the URSU front desk, the cost is not applied to your student account.
Which semesters charge the U-Pass fee to my student account?
The Fall semester and the Winter semester.
Who is eligible?
Anyone with a U of R or Saskpolytech student ID is eligible to get the Spring and Summer U-Pass.
All University of Regina students are eligible to get the U-Pass. Students are either automatically assessed the fee or may choose to opt-in. You can tell if you were automatically assessed (and thus need to activate a pass or opt-out) by checking your URegina Self Service account.
Who is automatically assessed for the U-Pass fee?
Students who take at least 1 on-campus course are automatically enrolled in the program and must pay for the pass unless they are eligible to opt-out.
Students who typically are not automatically assessed the fee include:
- Students taking only Online courses (this is different from Remote courses).
- Students studying only at locations outside of Regina.
- Nursing students with only an off-campus practicum.
- Graduate students taking only “maintenance” courses.
- Students in a co-op program work term with no on-campus courses.
I was automatically assessed the U-Pass fee. Can I opt-out?
Please visit our opt-out page for more details.
I was not automatically assessed the U-Pass fee. Can I opt-in?
For all U of R students, yes. Visit us with your student ID card and your proof of enrollment or present your fee statement, and we will load a semester of coverage for you. We will then notify the University to charge the U-Pass fee directly to your URegina account. ESL students, LINC students and Campus For All students will be required to pay for their pass at the time of activation. There is no deadline to opt-in or to activate your card.
At this time, University of Saskatchewan and Sask Polytech students cannot opt in to or receive the University of Regina U-Pass.
When will activations and opt-outs/ins be processed for the Winter 2023 semester?
Activations will be processed right away, along with opt-ins as they are done at the URSU front desk. All opt-outs will be processed by February 6th, 2023.
How do I activate my coverage?
You must re-activate your pass every semester by visiting URSU. We then load the new semester’s dates onto the card. We cannot activate or re-activate a card if you do not bring it in person, and you must be present to activate the card; you cannot send a friend or parent to activate your card for you due to security risks and our agreement with the City of Regina, unless you have a valid reason to not be present and give us explicit permission to allow someone else to activate your card on your behalf.
Students with the new integrated URegina Student ID/Bus Pass card should bring this to the URSU Member Services Desk or Multipurpose Room and we will load a semester on the card.
Students with the old, single-sided URegina Student ID card should bring their URegina Student ID to the URSU Member Services Desk or Multipurpose Room and we will add a pre-activated sticker to the card. If you would prefer an integrated card instead, you can purchase this from the Registrar’s Office for $15.
If you do not have a URegina Student ID Card, please get one from the University’s Registrar’s Office located on the second floor of the Ad/Hum building.
My pass is not working any more. Can I get a replacement?
If you have a U-Pass sticker, we will replace the sticker at no cost to you.
If you have a double-sided Student ID Card (one with the U-Pass on the back), you may need to get a new ID from the Registrar’s Office. If the card is damaged or lost, you will have to pay $15. If the card stopped working without any obvious sign of damage, you may be eligible for a free replacement. Please visit the Member Services desk to allow us to investigate and provide you a free replacement authorization form, if appropriate.
Will URSU still sell other pass options?
Yes, the URSU Member Services Desk will continue to sell 10 and 20 ride passes, as well as the standard types of monthly passes (i.e. Adult, Post-Secondary, Youth, Senior, etc.).
Will paratransit be included?
Yes! If you are a registered Paratransit user, you can use the pass for that service as well.
Why should I take the bus instead of driving?
There are a number of side benefits for you and the city in general when more people are using public transit, e.g. less pollution, more parking, and less traffic congestion. Some students find that the bus ride is a good opportunity to finish that reading you didn’t quite finish the night before. When the first snowfall hits, the bus is usually a less worrisome trip to the university than dealing with the increased traffic and potential for accidents in a car. If you want to go out for a drink, there is nothing better than knowing that you can get home safely with a pass that you’ve already paid for.
Perhaps most importantly, you can save a lot of money if you take the bus instead of a car. With a car, you have to pay for gas, maintenance, plates, plus all the indirect infrastructure costs that come from having so many cars on the road. According to a report from CAA in 2013, the average annual cost of driving a compact car is about $9500. Larger cars, trucks, and SUVs cost even more. On the other hand, two semesters of the U-Pass costs only $175.20 ($87.60 per semester).
What if I already have a parking pass?
Your parking pass is not mandatory whereas the U-Pass is. If URSU allowed students to opt-out when they purchase a parking pass, that would undermine a central goal of the program. On the positive side, parking passes can be cancelled and refunded, or you can sublet your parking pass.
Can I claim my U-Pass cost on my income tax return?
Not anymore. The Federal government has removed this tax credit as of 2018.