University of North Texas 
Student Government Association
Leading Documents
Your Buses, Your Say
On Sept. 23rd SGA kicked off its Your Buses, Your Say campaign to gather students experiences and honest opinions on UNT Transportation. For years, our $3.50 per semester credit hour transportation fee has supported our campus transportation, but with rising costs and increasing demand, it’s time to reassess how we fund these essential services.
The Your Buses, Your Say campaign will last until late November, throughout the campaign SGA will be hosting town halls, interviewing students, and starting a dialogue to shape the future of UNT bus services.
Remember: Better transportation starts with your voice. Let’s make it heard!
UNT’s shuttle bus system, funded mainly by our transportation fee and parking revenue, is crucial for getting us around campus and beyond. However, maintaining and expanding this service has become more expensive, and our current fee structure hasn’t changed since 2003. As UNT continues to grow, we need to explore ways to keep our transit system efficient and effective.
We’re launching the Your Buses, Your Say campaign to gather your feedback and ideas. We’ll be holding discussions and surveys to understand how well the current system is meeting your needs, where improvements are needed, and what you envision for the future. Your voices will help shape how we approach potential changes to the transportation fee, ensuring it aligns with what you want and need.
- Join the Conversation: Share your experiences and suggestions through our survey: “Your Buses, Your Say Survey Link”
- Stay Informed: Follow @untsga on Instagram for updates and participate in discussions on our social media.
This is your chance to impact how UNT’s transportation system evolves. Let’s work together to create a solution that works for everyone. Your feedback will play a key role in how we move forward!
What is this campaign about?
The Student Government Association (SGA) is launching a campaign to gather student feedback on UNT Bus services. Our goal is to collect valuable insights that will help us advocate for increased financial support for UNT Transportation. By seeking your opinions, we aim to address current challenges and enhance the transportation services available to students. Ultimately, we hope with student support to propose a modest increase in the transportation fee to generate additional revenue, ensuring a more efficient and reliable transportation system for our campus community.
What do you mean by “Fee Raising”?
“Fee raising” refers to the proposed increase in the transportation fee that students currently pay. This fee goes directly to the shuttle bus system. By advocating for a modest increase, we aim to secure additional funding that will help improve and expand these services, making them more efficient and accessible for all students.
Why not focus on Parking?
SGA understands that parking is a consistent issue for not only students but also
faculty & staff. Unfortunately, there’s numerous challenges when it comes to expanding
parking, such as the space needed and the financial burden. Creating better parking
facilities is a long-term discussion, advocating to improve the efficiency and reliability
of our shuttle system is an immediate solution. To benefit the entire campus community
and reduce the need for students who live near campus or in Denton to rely on driving
to school. By addressing transportation first, we can make it easier for everyone
to get where they want to go without relying on driving and finding parking.
How much do I pay for the transportation fee right now?
Currently, students are charged $3.50 per semester credit hour for the transportation fee. For example, if you take 15 credit hours you pay $52.5, if you take 18 credit hours, you’re paying $63. This fee has remained unchanged since its establishment in 2003, and the proposed increase aims to address rising operational costs and enhance the transportation services offered at UNT.
What’s the current state of UNT Parking & Transportation?
UNT Parking & Transportation is an auxiliary service, which according to Texas law can not be funded through money from the state. Due to this rule Parking & Transportation is funded through its own generated revenue or fees created by the University. Parking facilities are funded through ticket revenue and parking passes, Transportation (DCTA buses) are funded through the transportation fee levied on all UNT students. But the transportation fee hasn’t been raised since its creation in 2003 and hasn’t risen to match rising service costs, labor, and inflation. Currently the money collected from the transportation fee isn’t enough to fully fund our bus services, this deficit of around 300,000 is covered by parking revenue. The money levied from the transportation fee goes solely to funding bus services, but the money isn’t enough to fully fund let alone grow our current services without cutting bus routes.
I’m a commuter, how does this affect me?
Even if you’re a commuter student, the transportation system plays a vital role in campus life. An improved transportation system benefits everyone by enhancing accessibility and convenience, better buses will lead to more students feeling safer in-turn causing less students to feel the need to park on or near campus due to unreliable bus services.
Where can I find out more about UNT transportation?
To learn more about UNT transportation services, you can visit the UNT Parking & Transportation website. Additionally, our campaign will provide resources and updates as we engage with students and gather feedback. Stay tuned for opportunities to participate in discussions and share your thoughts!
Please contact sga@unt.edu with any questions or concerns, we look forward to hearing from you.