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Committee member proposes expanding U‑Pass to agencies serving vulnerable Anchorage residents
Summary
At a committee meeting, Bridger Reid Lewis proposed broadening the U‑Pass program so agencies that serve vulnerable populations could provide free bus fare and anchor rides to clients and employees, and suggested piloting the idea with nonprofits such as the Arc of Anchorage.
Bridger Reid Lewis, who attended the municipality’s five‑year transportation workshop, proposed expanding Anchorage’s U‑Pass program so agencies that serve vulnerable populations can offer free bus fare and anchor rides to clients and employees. Lewis said accessibility and safety were among the leading concerns raised at the workshop, and that a broader program could reduce isolation for people with disabilities.
"One of my ideas was expanding the U Pass programs to agencies that serve anyone vulnerable," Lewis said, adding that the program would provide free rides for clients and employees and remove eligibility clauses that currently require clients to be enrolled in an educational program. He described the current U‑Pass as originating for university students, staff and faculty and noted the program pools contributions into a transportation fund.
Lewis suggested basing agency contributions on size and client/employee ratios so larger organizations pay more, and proposed combining contracts across agencies to lower costs. He said pilot arrangements already exist in other sectors and that he has worked to set up an initial pilot with the Arc of Anchorage.
"This would open up a lot of doors for individuals because of the isolation a lot of people with disabilities have," Lewis said, citing winter safety and mobility challenges that make standard bus use difficult for some riders.
Committee members asked clarifying questions. One member asked whether expanding the program would effectively create a different program, since the original U‑Pass was designed for a university setting; Lewis agreed it would likely be a separate program or pilot tailored for agencies. He described cost figures and timing only in approximate terms and characterized several numbers as estimates.
Next steps discussed included clarifying program eligibility, cost structures, and pilot partners. No formal action was taken on the proposal during the meeting; members asked for additional details and signaled interest in refining a pilot plan.
