Attending university is expensive. From admission, to tuition and auxiliary fees, students put a lot of money into their schools. At UFV, the average student spends more than $130 just on our student union and other society fees. As of 2025, $43.29 of those fees are dedicated to the U-Pass. But what exactly is a U-Pass and what does it do for you? Let me explain!
UFV’s Student Union Society (SUS) works in partnership with BC Transit to provide students with accessible transportation options, discounts, and exclusive student perks, with the goal of promoting overall student wellness. This is the U-Pass program.
The U-Pass grants students unlimited access to most transit routes anywhere throughout Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Mission — excluding route 66 until further notice. The program also grants free admission to a number of recreation facilities with the presentation of your student card. That includes both the Abbotsford and Matsqui Recreation Centres as well as the Mission Leisure Centre and the UFV Chilliwack Fitness Centre.
One of the U-Pass’s most convenient features is its mobile phone app. All students need to do is download the UMO Mobility app in which you can enter a benefit code, found in your myUFV portal, once you’ve paid your semester fees. It remains valid until the end of each semester, and your benefit code automatically renews at the start of each new one as long as your fees are paid.
In the app itself, you can save locations, routes, and stops that you visit often to your favourites. You also have the ability to see and manage your account balance and passes through the app’s wallet. It even lets you see trip options to your desired destinations prior to travelling, where it recommends the quickest way to get there and from which bus stops. It also estimates how long the journey will take and your approximate time of arrival. No more needing to look at the tiny wording on the bus stop signs — it tells you that too!
At the beginning of each semester, BC Transit allows for a grace period. From Sept. 1-15, Jan. 1-15, and May 1-15 students don’t need a U-Pass or UMO app to use the bus. It’s also adaptive, offering the ability to opt-out each semester if you only have online courses, have a documented disability and aren’t able to use regular public transit, or already make use of a BC Government bus pass.
Making use of the U-Pass allows students to focus on their wellness; freeing us of the worries of transportation costs, complicated processes, and having to pay those pesky parking fees. Its ease of use is another perk — all you have to do is scan the barcode in the app when entering the bus and you’re ready for a ride! It’s also beneficial to the environment since it reduces greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing the amount of student vehicle traffic on the road. We love sustainability.
Even if you drive yourself to school with your own car, consider even just taking the bus once or twice to take advantage of your U-Pass. It might make a difference in your time as a UFV student.
Veronica is a Staff Writer at The Cascade. She loves to travel and explore new places, no matter how big or small. She is in her second year at UFV, pursuing the study of Creative
Writing.
