Demand a Metra Student Discount for College Student Commuters

I am speaking on behalf of the many hardworking college students that commute to and from the city of Chicago using the Metra. On top of the fact that tuition costs are on the rise, and living expenses are just as financially stressful we also struggle in finding ways to pay for the Metra. I am asking that all Illinois State Legislators please support equal treatment of Illinois' college students. Help Metra extend the current Metra student discount to thousands of college students within Illinois. The CTA (another form of mass transit in the Chicago Metrapolitan area) has a student discount for ALL its student riders including college students. I am an out-of-state student contributing to the state of Illinois living in the Chicagoland area and have struggled to pay for the cost of commuting. When I was first told that I was not eligble for the student discount I was completely dumbfounded. When you think about Metra treating high school students (and even grade school students) better than college students, from a public policy perspective, how does this make sense? Don't college students face higher tuition bills and serious debt during and post-college? Don't college students pay more sales taxes that support mass transit in our region? Doesn't it make sense for Metra to attract more riders? In the past year Metra has not only improved its transit system, it has begun to completely renovate the interior of some of its transit lines. When will we see a change in its student fare equality?? The time is NOW!

Support student equality, environmental conservation, and funding towards education. Support ALL students with a student discount!

Consider this:

- For years the state of Illinois provided funding so that students could recieve a reduced fare (50%) on Metra.

- The problem is that Metra does not include all students in its definition. Only grade school and high school students are eligible for the student discount.

- Given that college students pay more in taxes than younger students, especially sales taxes that help fund regional mass transit, and face enormous financial hurdles to attend college, extending the student discount to college students not only makes sense, but is justified. 

-Students at several colleges and universities in the Chicago area have united to lobby Metra and the Illinois General Assembly. We are asking that Metra simply include all students in its definition of students. 

-This does not create a new class of discounted fare. It simply treats college students the same as grade and high school students. 

Economic Benefits

-College students contribute to the state's economy by filling critical jobs, paying income and sales taxes and patronizing local businesses.

-The cost of tuition keeps rising, and fees and textbook costs continue to drive up the cost of attending college. For those students who live at home or out-of-state students who are forced to live in the suburbs due to affordability, but attend a college in the city, providing the student discount is an easy way to lessen the burden on students.

-By giving college students an incentive to take mass transit, the state and RTA can encourage lifetime ridership, creating an entire generation of new customers.

Environmental Benefits

-Every student on a Metra train is one fever car on the roads and highways.

-Each train trip results in additional available street parking spaces for residents of neighborhoods such as Hyde Park, Taylor Street, Lincoln Park, etc.

-Fewer cars on the roads equals reduced emissions in the Chicago Metropolitan area.

-Encouraging and incentivizing mass transit use for students fosters sustainable behavior by a growing group in society, which perpetuates the economic and enviornmental benefits of mass transit use.

Cost to Tax Payers

-The Metra Student discount is state-funded, and is in addition to the recent increase in sales taxes passed to increased funding for mass transit in Illinois. 

-the same state-funded discount also provided for reduced fares for senior citizens.

-Govenor Blagojevich amended the RTA sales tax increase to provide reduced rides for seniors to be funded by the increased sales taxes.

We the undersigned kindly ask that all Illinois State Legislators and Metra CEO Donald A. Orseno please support equal treatment of Illinois' college students Metra riders. On top of the fact that tuition costs are on the rise, and living expenses are just as financially stressful we also struggle in meeting the cost of paying the full price for Metra Tickets. Please help in extending the current Metra student discount to thousands of college stduents within Illinois, we would greatly appreciate it! When you think about Metra treating highschool students (and even grade school students) better than college students, from a public policy perspective, how does this make sense? Don't college students face higher tuition bills and serious debt, during and post college? Don't college students pay more sales taxes that support mass transit in our region? Doesn't it make sense for Metra to attract more student riders? Support student equality, environmental conservation, and funding towards education. Support ALL students, especially the ones that will eventually play important roles in society!

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