Faculty and students who use Upass to ride on Capital Area Transit and Triangle Transit buses will have to make a few changes this fall as the Gopass program, formerly known as Upass, will no longer accept the showing of campus IDs as admittance to ride the buses. 

Gopass allows students and faculty to use bus services free of charge.  

“Routine riders of Capital Area Transit system and the Triangle Transit will need to pick up a Gopass swipe card at the transportation office,” said Christine Klein, information and communication specialist for the transportation office. Kline said riders will need to bring their campus identification cards when they come to pick up a Gopass card. 

Riders who used the Upass system were allowed to show their IDs to bus drivers to gain fair on the buses, but with the new system riders will be required to swipe a special Gopass card to gain admittance to the bus. 

“We expect to have our supply of Gopass cards by early August,” Klein said. “Riders should call first and check for availability before stopping by.” 

Klein says some users of Gopass who need to obtain Gopass cards may also use the internet to apply for the card.  “There is a form on the Web site which you may fill out to make the distribution process a little quicker,” Klein said.  

Students shouldn’t be worried about cost. Klein says Gopass is a system designed to help students and faculty utilize transportation to get around Raleigh. Gopass is free to all current N.C. State students, faculty and staff with valid ID.

Klein said users can renew their Gopass accounts at the beginning of each academic year. 

She said using Gopass does not interfere with other transportation services at NCSU. 

“People who use Gopass do not have to give up their parking permits in order to use the Gopass system,” Klein said. “The program does not require riders be participants of Wolftrails transportation alternatives program”. 

Wolftrails is a program that gives incentives when members of the campus community use energy friendly methods to travel. 

Wolfline riders will not be affected by Gopass, Klein said. “Gopass has nothing to do with Wolfline ridership — nothing is required to ride Wolfline except catching the Wolfline buses at designated stops,” explains Klein. 

Though big changes are on the way, Klein said there is no need to bull rush the Transportation office quite yet.

Klein said, “valid NCSU student, faculty and staff ID’s will continue to be accepted for free transit rides on CAT and TT buses until August 26.”