Effective July 1, University of Kentucky (UK) students, faculty and staff may ride any Lextran bus route free of charge simply by showing their valid Wildcard ID, as part of the new U-PASS program.

Lextran buses travel throughout 21 different city routes, which extend throughout and beyond the UK campus into the Lexington community. The program includes all Lextran routes, both on- and off- campus, allowing UK students, faculty and staff to travel to from, and around campus while also accessing the city.

The program constitutes a one-year, $160,000 agreement, with the opportunity to renew.

The U-PASS program is the first of several major initiatives being launched throughout the ongoing UK Transportation Master Plan (TMP) process. The TMP aims to improve access and mobility to, from and around campus for all members of the UK community.

UK Executive VP, Finance and Administration, Eric Monday said that this program represents the first of several initiatives, which directly ties back to these early findings and feedback received from the community, related to the TMP.

Historically, many UK students have purchased a semester or academic-year Class Pass, which provides unlimited rides per semester or academic year. Under the new U-PASS program, a Class Pass is no longer necessary as long as a student has a valid Wildcard ID. Any University of Kentucky student who has already purchased a Class Pass for use during the 2015-16 school year may receive a full refund from Lextran.