Bus & Shuttle Summary
All of the Bus and Shuttle Services MSU Offers:
Greater Mankato Transit System
“MavCard: Your Ticket to Ride” - Bus Service -
If you produce your MavCard t
here is no charge for riding any bus on any bus route within Mankato and North Mankato. You can thank the Student Senate and the Minnesota State Student Association for creating this opportunity. It was the MSSA that championed adoption of the mandatory Green Transportation Fee (75 cents per credit hour) which may bring in $250,000 in 2012-13 to finance an expanded bus program and improve ridership from 200,000 rides per academic year to a new level of 250,000 rides.
New Bus Wrap Unveiled in School Colors: Check it out !
Green Transportation Fee Approved
Student leaders are excited and ready to launch program Fall Semester. A June 6, 2012, meeting with Greater Mankato Transit Superintendent Mark Anderson and City Finance Director Dan Scott, set the stage for a bus services contract underwritten by the new mandatory Green Transportation Fee effective Fall Semester. No bus passes needed this Fall, show only your MavCard and you can ride free of charge. Click here to read the article.
Click on the image to enlarge.
In this photo (From Left to Right): 80th Minnesota State Student Association President - Soyal Shrestha; 80th Minnesota State Student Association Vice President - David Schieler; 79th Minnesota State Student Association President - Matt Lexcen.
"Green Transportation Fee" Vote Wins Support but Fails Minimum Ballot Requirement
Based on unofficial results, the Tuesday, April 10, 2012, Student General Election saw students cast 1,161 ballots in favor (72%) of the Green Transportation Fee "initiative," 293 (18%) against, with 167 (10%) abstentions. However, the "initiative" required a ballot participation minimum of 1,624 ballots based on 50% of the 3,248 ballots cast in the April Student General Election held last year. Though the Student Senate favored the proposal it cannot overturn the referendum result. University President Richard Davenport may or may not elect to take up the issue of a Green Transportation Fee, a fee proposal knocked down by a prior student election participation requirement included within Article X - Section 1 of the Constitution of the Minnesota State Student Association (MSSA).
At its Wednesday, March 21, meeting the Student Senate gave a favorable nod to what is now known as the "Green Transportation Fee" proposal. Passage meant unlimited free rides on-campus and throughout Mankato and North Mankato by just showing your MavCard. The nighttime Stomper Express service would double and James Avenue residents would receive nighttime service, as well.
The proposed 75 cents per credit hour fee for students would have allowed for the expansion of existing bus routes and bike rack upgrades. A MavCard would be all that is needed to ride. No longer needed would be the semester or 30-day bus passes or ride fares for any MSU leased bus or buses on city-wide routes. Current 200,000 rides (eight months of academic year) would increase as a result of easier access and expanded services. The Parking Advisory Committee is unable to meet expansion demands for busing and still take care of its parking lot priority needs.
The proposal was formally reviewed February 28th by Student Allocations Committee. SAC action is pending. On February 2nd the Parking Advisory Committee recommended that a 75 cents per credit hour mandatory fee be established for free unlimited bus rides on campus and throughout city. If approved by the Administration, a projected $262,500 would be collected annually which would free up $195,000 now dedicated to busing from parking permit revenue allowing parking permit funds to be used to address looming parking lot resurfacing needs, particularly in Lot 16 (Performing Arts lot $1.3 million) and in back of Gage (Lot 1 $951,600).
The Green Transportation Fee would have also allow for the expansion of existing bus routes to include nighttime coverage for James Avenue and add Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays to the Stomper Express (now 6 PM-11 PM Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, back and forth to the River Hills Mall and Wal-Mart area). The possibility of Monks Avenue service remains to be discusssed as well.
Click here to see the proposal
