University of California, Berkeley, (UC Berkeley) students voted  to continue the UC Berkeley Class Pass program for another seven years by a 12 to 1 margin.

The Class Pass program began at UC Berkeley in 1999 and allows both undergraduate and graduate students to ride any AC Transit bus each semester they are registered at UC Berkeley without fare. Students vote via referendum to assess the Class Pass fee, which includes AC Transit service, the campus shuttle Bear Transit and a mandatory fee for student financial aid, as a part of their registration.

With the successful passage of the referendum, the new Class Pass program will begin fall 2013 and end spring 2020. Class Pass is the brand name at UC Berkeley of AC Transit’s EasyPass program.

The EasyPass program is for employer, college and residential communities in the AC Transit service area. The program offers a group benefit at great savings, with pricing based on the number of eligible participants and the level of transit service provided at the client’s location.

Residential and commercial property developers or owners may qualify for density awards or bonuses, parking mitigation, tax deductions and certain green certifications for providing an EasyPass program. Employers can see a reduction in payroll taxes while satisfying California’s new commuter benefit law (SB 1339).