St. Joseph Transit is trying out a new partnership to give Missouri Western State University students free rides.

Mary Gaston, St. Joseph Transit General Manager said a trial period to offer Western students free rides kicked off Wednesday.

“This kind of an arrangement between universities and community transit system is very common in college towns around the country,” Gaston said. “We wanted to give it a try for ourselves.”

Gaston said they are testing out the program to see the interest in students using the public transportation system.

“They can go anywhere our buses can go which is pretty much anywhere in St. Joseph,” Gaston said. “There are connections to the campus, if they want to go shopping or medical appointments or to come downtown or visit friends, whatever they want to do they can use the bus to get there.”

Students who show a valid MWSU ID card to the bus driver can ride all routes free all days and times. Also, for .50 cents students can request the bus deviate from the route to pick them up or drop them off at a more convenient location.

Gaston said it’s a way to give students an opportunity they may not otherwise have.

“This would make it more appealing to students to venture out into St. Joseph, go beyond the campus and see what there is to do and what all there is to offer in St. Joseph,” Gaston said.

She said right now the program is being analyzed to determine what the utilization is before a formal relationship with the university is established.

For more information about hours and routes CLICK HERE.