LU students, staff ride JeffTran for free

In this April 24, 2014 file photo, a Jefftran city bus sits outside the Scruggs University Center on the Lincoln University campus.
In this April 24, 2014 file photo, a Jefftran city bus sits outside the Scruggs University Center on the Lincoln University campus.

For the remainder of the spring semester, Lincoln University students and staff can ride JeffTran for free.

As part of the U-Pass pilot program, LU staff and students can show city bus drivers their university IDs through May 15 to ride any JeffTran fixed route for free.

While LU's academic calendar states the spring semester ends May 10, Jefferson City Transit Division Director Mark Mehmert said the program will extend through May 15 to accommodate students moving out of the dorms.

Five of the six JeffTran routes go by LU's campus, and about two-thirds of students who live on campus do not have vehicles, according to a city new release.

Mehmert said the U-Pass pilot program could not only help students get to local destinations, but also boost JeffTran ridership.

"A lot of university students don't have cars, so this will make it a lot easier for them to access different types of amenities such as entertainment, jobs, shopping, etc., and we think it will be a big boost to the university community," Mehmert said.

The city Transit Division will track how many LU students and staff use this program.

At the end of the pilot program, LU will pay the city up to $3,000, Mehmert said. This amount could decrease if there are fewer than 6,000 rides taken, he added.