UW Transportation Services is now offering students an alternative to the U-PASS designed for the walking and biking community. Called the U-Powered U-PASS, it offers many of the same services as the traditional U-PASS, but at a fraction of the price at $40.

The U-Powered U-PASS is an annual membership program that offers a set of 24 King County Metro bus tickets and five discount coupons for $3 all-day parking that are redeemable at any on-campus gatehouse parking lot, as well as the other services that are included in the traditional U-PASS program.

The traditional $99 U-PASS offers unlimited King County Metro bus rides and other services, such as free NightRide Shuttle service and discounted participation in Zipcar. The alternative will offer many of these same services, but of lesser quantity, for those who only have a need to take the bus once in a while, such as in the case of an emergency or inclement weather.

“The U-Powered U-PASS has been a dream of ours, actually, for a number of years based on comments that we have received from the cyclists and pedestrians about really needing a product to support them and their commute choices,” said Josh Kavanagh, director of Transportation Services.

Mike Reiter, a sophomore who frequently rides his bike to classes and work, currently owns the $99 U-PASS but said he would definitely switch to the new U-PASS program.

“The [current] U-PASS prices are outrageous,” he said. “I don’t feel like I get my money’s worth because I do have other forms of transportation that I can use … but [a U-PASS] would be nice to have just in case it starts raining.”

On-campus residents may have incentive to switch to the U-Powered U-PASS as well since there is less of a need to travel long distances.

“I think it’s a good idea [because] most students [who live on-campus] just go to Northgate or U-Village and, even then, not that often,” said Kara Ozkardesh, a junior and resident of Haggett Hall.

While many owners of the traditional U-PASS may consider switching to the cheaper $40 option, Kavanagh insists that the two products are not intended to compete with one another.

“They are products that address completely different sets of needs, and that’s really what we’re trying to do … to allow people to make the commute choices that are right for them and for us to provide products that meet their needs where they are,” Kavanagh said.

Altogether, there are 43,610 UW students, faculty and staff who are members of the traditional U-Pass program, according to information provided by Celeste Gilman, transportation systems manager for Commuter Services. There are currently 82 U-Powered U-PASS owners, all of whom are either faculty or staff members, since sales to those communities opened last week.

More than 100 UW faculty and staff members participated in a U-Powered U-PASS pilot program this past spring and summer quarter. The two-quarter pilot program featured a $20 sample membership.

Breona Gutschmidt, information specialist for Facilities Services, participated in the pilot program and was satisfied with the alternative.

“When I did the math, both in the summer and for the new U-Powered program this year, it really pays,” she said. “It ends up being $6.20 to park, if you include the $3 that you’re paying, and then if you consider that each Metro pass is $2, and that’s not even including the [other U-Pass] perks, it’s a good deal.”

Sign up for the new U-Powered U-PASS at uwcommute.com/upowered.

Reach contributing writer Joanna Nolasco at news@dailyuw.com.