UBC alumna charged for allegedly selling U-Passes on Craigslist

[Geoc]

You gotta be pretty fucking desperate if you graduated from UBC and you do something as petty as flipping U-passes to make money.

I bet she graduated with a degree in entrepreneurship.

[tseman]

Originally Posted by Tapioca

As a UBC alumnus, I am ashamed to be associated with logic like this.

Rule #1 of being a student: Just because you think you're important by attending the Sauder School of Business, you're still not exempt from being a socialist like all of the other university students.
Posted via RS Mobile

Originally Posted by Hurricane

I am tempted to just insult you (ie. 'Wow, they are really lowering the bar at UBC these days.' 'I hope you're an arts student' etc.). But you will leave the thread as dumb as you came into it - what good would that be?

So Let's try something...



And you are complaining about something that has 95% support? Hah.

Originally Posted by MindBomber

You, as a student at UBC and a resident of the GVRD participate in a democratic socialist system. You have the option to not attend UBC, and you have the option to not live in the GVRD, so you choose to participate in that system, and in doing so accept the subjective positive and negative attributes of it. The majority of people living in the GVRD, and the overwhelming majority attending UBC, democratically come to the decision that subsidizing transit is for the best of the populous. You may not agree with the decision to subsidize transit, but that is the minority position and thus overruled. That's why you contribute towards the transit system, live with it or move or attend a different university or both, because the majority doesn't conform to the minority.

you guys are right, it is a subsidized thing and I'm part of a student body so I must be a part of it, whether I want to or not. Or else the Upass program wouldn't even work.

It was late at night so I left an important part out.


I have taken the bus to school before in the morning. Some mornings I arrive to the bus stop and 2 buses pass me, because they are full. And these buses don't come as often as you think. All I'm saying is that the buses aren't always reliable. I can't afford to be late in some mornings. Of course some of you would say, well then get to the bus stop EARLIER??

If my midterm is at 8am, and I already wake up at 630am just to get to school to write my midterm, how much earlier should I wake up then? 530am maybe?

You try staying up late studying for a midterm and waking up at 530am so you can take a bus which should be reliable in the first place.

I paid for a service, and all I ask for is for it to be reliable.

And after all this... I read articles on the internet about how Translink is still broke, or losing money. I mean c'mon.


Of course at the end of the day it's only 30$ a month, which is negligible to the rest of the fees I must pay at UBC. I of course accept it as a student, but all I ask in return is for Translink to be reliable. I think that's fair.

Oh and I'm not in arts nor sauder.

[MindBomber]

Transiting to UBC at peak times can be a nightmare, there's no disputing that.

Translink does recognize the issue, and are approaching the final stages of a multi-year study to determine a solution. That's little consolation for you now, but at least the plan is not to maintain status quo indefinitely. Here's a link to the study:UBC Line Rapid Transit Study Phase 2.

[bobbinka]

Originally Posted by tseman

I paid for a service, and all I ask for is for it to be reliable.

Of course at the end of the day it's only 30$ a month, which is negligible to the rest of the fees I must pay at UBC. I of course accept it as a student, but all I ask in return is for Translink to be reliable. I think that's fair.

wait.... so you're willing to accept having to pay for it

I go to UBC and I don't need the Upass.

Why must I pay for something I don't use? I shouldn't have to. In a sense I am paying for other people's transit. I should have the option between buying a 30$ upass per month or opting out. I've submitted applications online to opt out of the Upass but I always get denied.

although there can always be improvements to reliability issues, keep in ind you're not paying for a chauffeur. what you're paying for is UNLIMITED TRAVEL and use of translink service for the duration of the pass for ONLY $30. did you even know that a 3-zone monthly pass costs $150?

it's PUBLIC transit for everyone. of course you will come across times where the bus is full, you're sharing the service with how many people? how many students are trying to head to class at the same time? i've experienced it before waiting for buses and trains. it's unfortunate, but it happens. if your "reason" for being against upass, is because of this reliability issue, then you should be AGAINST people selling upasses, and AGAINST people opting out.

every single time a student sells a upass, translink is losing money because someone who should have had to pay $150 for a 3-zone monthly pass now got one for $30 (any excess profit the seller pockets does not go to translink).

how is translink supposed to provide more buses to accommodate public demand if they cant make enough money to provide the service?

[tseman]

Originally Posted by bobbinka

wait.... so you're willing to accept having to pay for it

although there can always be improvements to reliability issues, keep in ind you're not paying for a chauffeur. what you're paying for is UNLIMITED TRAVEL and use of translink service for the duration of the pass for ONLY $30. did you even know that a 3-zone monthly pass costs $150?

it's PUBLIC transit for everyone. of course you will come across times where the bus is full, you're sharing the service with how many people? how many students are trying to head to class at the same time? i've experienced it before waiting for buses and trains. it's unfortunate, but it happens. if your "reason" for being against upass, is because of this reliability issue, then you should be AGAINST people selling upasses, and AGAINST people opting out.

every single time a student sells a upass, translink is losing money because someone who should have had to pay $150 for a 3-zone monthly pass now got one for $30 (any excess profit the seller pockets does not go to translink).

how is translink supposed to provide more buses to accommodate public demand if they cant make enough money to provide the service?

thanks i already know that the Upass was for UNLMIITED TRAVEL and use of translink service for the duration of the pass for ONLY 30$.

I never said that it's right for people to sell their upasses, nor did I say I'm for it.

[Master_Shake]

If you can't afford $30 a month you're either white or poor

[mb_]

Originally Posted by Geoc

You gotta be pretty fucking desperate if you graduated from UBC and you do something as petty as flipping U-passes to make money.

I bet she graduated with a degree in entrepreneurship.

Or a degree in arts
Posted via RS Mobile

[dlo]

Originally Posted by Geoc

You gotta be pretty fucking desperate if you graduated from UBC and you do something as petty as flipping U-passes to make money.

I bet she graduated with a degree in entrepreneurship.

whats wrong with a degree in entrepreneurship?

[wstce92]

Originally Posted by inv4zn

Some of the people posting their "logic" is alarming - as many people have said, welcome to the real world.

By your (false) logic:
- Why do I have to subsidize the surgery for someone I don't even know?
- Why do I have to subsidize a bridge I will never take?
- Why do I have to pay for meals and shelter for criminals?

As Mindbomber said in a page back, this is how the society you live in works. Get your head out of your ass and realize that the world does not revolve around you. It's subsidized for a reason. If you don't like it, go vote. If your'e voted down, suck it up, or go to a different school.

This thread and some of its posters are a shining example why paying $25K for a post-sec. education isn't really beneficial for everyone.
---------
As for the original topic, she's getting charged because she is flipping multiple passes for profit, not just selling off her own...we've already established that lol.

it's not "false" logic.
I hope YOU didn't waste 25k on a post-sec education then.
Just as you find it retarded that people don't want to subsidize others.
It's just as legit for other people to find it retarded that they have to give their hard earned money to benefit others.
It's every individual's right to decide how socialist they want to be.
And considering a minority holds majority of the wealth, and a majority holds minority of the wealth; it's not exactly surprising why pro-subsidizing wins out. It doesn't make it right. Or wrong.

[gars]

Originally Posted by wstce92

it's not "false" logic.
I hope YOU didn't waste 25k on a post-sec education then.
Just as you find it retarded that people don't want to subsidize others.
It's just as legit for other people to find it retarded that they have to give their hard earned money to benefit others.
It's every individual's right to decide how socialist they want to be.
And considering a minority holds majority of the wealth, and a majority holds minority of the wealth; it's not exactly surprising why pro-subsidizing wins out. It doesn't make it right. Or wrong.

It's true, everyone is entitled to their opinion. But they also aren't forced to study at UBC. If they feel it's too socialist, because the vast majority of votes that were cast were in favor of the UPass, then he can feel free to go to another university. Either that or campaign hard on campus to try to convince everyone to vote no next time.


There are so many other fees as well, I don't see people complaining about them. The recreation and athletics fee is $197 a year, the SUB renewal fee is $60 a year.

[bobbinka]

Originally Posted by wstce92

it's not "false" logic.
I hope YOU didn't waste 25k on a post-sec education then.
Just as you find it retarded that people don't want to subsidize others.
It's just as legit for other people to find it retarded that they have to give their hard earned money to benefit others.
It's every individual's right to decide how socialist they want to be.
And considering a minority holds majority of the wealth, and a majority holds minority of the wealth; it's not exactly surprising why pro-subsidizing wins out. It doesn't make it right. Or wrong.

people who are for subsidizing do not find it retarded other individuals don't want to subsidize others. they find retarded that other individuals do not understand how it works.

do i want to pay for other people's transit/surgery/housing/social assistance? no. but i recognize that our city and country (that we have the luxury of living in) is only what it is today because these things exist.

when you pay your income tax, part of that money goes towards funding social assistance and low income credits (GST/HST rebate every quarter). do i think it's fair that my tax money is being used to pay for someone else's social assistance? hell no. do i think that homeless people who choose not to work, but are entitled to GST/HST cheques every quarter taken from my tax money, is fair? not a chance. but if these things dont exist, what do you think the effect would be? low income individuals formerly on social assistance now would be on the streets. the homeless who survived only on GST/HST cheques (and believe me, there are people that live on these things) would now have to find other ways to get that money, like crime. sure, now maybe we'll have more money to put towards something of your own choosing, but at what cost?

you choose to live here. this place didnt magically become one of the best places to live, and if you want to live here, you have to contribute. if you can't afford to do so or do not want to do so, you can choose to go elsewhere. i dont like having my money taken from me to be used towards something i don't use, but i recognize the need for it to sustain living in this place.

[PiuYi]

holy fuck the amount of in this thread hurts my head


mad props to MindBomber for having the patience to explain the merits of UPass... i lost my shit after the second page.

[Not really racist!]

Originally Posted by twitchyzero

only 1 replacement per semester...at least at UBC

during the summer they had to limit the # of replacements for "lost" pass because everyone was harsh abusing it now that people can't take courses, drop them and keep their bus pass all-summer long.

They would run out when the carding office opened the first few days of each month

UBC tightens U-Pass replacement rules after spike in summer pass losses | The UbysseyThe Ubyssey

u can get another one each month at some schools lol

i.e capilano

but yeah... i remember the days of signing up for summer courses then dropping out.. rofl

[ilvtofu]

Lol if she is found guilty " BETTY! SZE? YU WONG! "

[inv4zn]

Originally Posted by wstce92

it's not "false" logic.
I hope YOU didn't waste 25k on a post-sec education then.
Just as you find it retarded that people don't want to subsidize others.
It's just as legit for other people to find it retarded that they have to give their hard earned money to benefit others.
It's every individual's right to decide how socialist they want to be.
And considering a minority holds majority of the wealth, and a majority holds minority of the wealth; it's not exactly surprising why pro-subsidizing wins out. It doesn't make it right. Or wrong.

In fact, it is false logic. You'd get it if you actually understood anything, which you clearly don't.

A $25K education is not supposed to result in a piece of paper saying you completed 4 years worth of going to and back from school. It's supposed to prepare you for real world situations, provide you with an entry to what it means to live amongst other people, and how to see the bigger picture rather than just the bubble you've been living in during your younger years. Post-secondary education no longer does any of that, as certain individuals go to uni. just to be able to make more money when they come out the other end. But that's another topic.

If you don't want to give your "hard earned money" to other people, then seriously, the only option you have it to go live in a third-world country and hire your own army, or live in a cave and have everything airlifted to you.

The fact that you don't understand that earning money here comes with certain responsibilities, such as paying taxes, just shows everyone you don't really get it.

You can't determine 'how socialist' one is. What are you going to say? "I'm 74% socialist, while you're 49% socialist, and that's our choice! Yay!"

Not entirely sure what the whole 1% thing has to do with this. 50% in income tax is horrendous, regardless of the actual amount they make. You're complaining that the $120 per semester, out of $3500 is subsidizing something you don't use. That's 3.4% of your semester's tuition that you're subsidizing for transit you don't use. And this is money that you're SPENDING, supposedly for an edumacation. Imagine $1750 of your tuition is subsidizing something you're never going to use. And the 50% is on money you EARN.

Such is the economic system you live in. It has nothing to do with violation of your rights, and everything to do with the choices you make.

And finally, please stop bitching about something you don't have a good grasp of. Read back to first paragraph about being able to see the entire picture if you're still confused.

[Hurricane]

Originally Posted by Ronin

Why should people pay because they're lucky enough to live nearby or own a car? Why should they just suck it up and think "Oh, others are less fortunate."? $30 is $30. It's my $30 and I'm being forced to pay it because some people need to use the bus despite the fact that I don't.

AND I'm not allowed to sell that $30 monthly pass to someone that would actually use it BECAUSE THEY WOULD ACTUALLY USE IT. Translink wants to make sure that only a certain number of people that buy the Upass will actually use it.

I'd be happy to explain.

Translink offers the pass to the university at a particular rate (surprisingly not pulled out of one of the executives asses) based on a number of factors. For example: total number of participants, expected rate of use among said number of participants, etc.

So when Translink says there are 50,000 students at UBC. We expect 40% to be high rate transit users (10x/week) and 30% to be low rate users (5x/week), and the remaining 30% to barely use transit at all, they formulate a price based on those calculations.

20,000 high rate users - 200,000 trips/week
15,000 low rate users - 75,000 trips/week

Total 275,000 trips/week = 14,300,000 trips/year

$1,500,000 (50,000 students X $30 per pass) = $0.10 per trip revenue

If all 30% of those predicted non-users suddenly become high rate users (because someone sold them the pass) they don't see a dime of that money, and they now have 70% high rate users and 30% low rate. So 100% of the 40,000 people are putting a much larger strain on the system, for the same price.

35,000 high rate users - 350,000 trips/week
15,000 low rate users - 75,000 trips/week

Total 425,000 trips/week = 22,100,000 trips/year

$1,500,000 (50,000 students X $30 per pass) = $0.06 per trip revenue

Can you see why translink would say 'fuck no!'?

Disclaimer - all numbers were pulled out of my ass, but I hope you can understand the point.

[UFO]

Originally Posted by tseman

In a sense I am paying for other people's transit.

Not in a sense, that's exactly how the system works. That's how taxation works too

I've submitted applications online to opt out of the Upass but I always get denied.

You get denied because you don't meet the criteria to opt out. If you don't meet the criteria, why do you bother to keep trying?

Why must me, as a driver, get taxed for other people's transit?

Drop out of school, because it's clear my tax dollars funding your education are not being put to good use.

[registrar]

Obviously, it is not easy to find a job now!

[svelt]

Do the people who are complaining about a $60 u-pass not realize their $5k annual tuition is MASSIVELY subsidized by taxpayers as well? Would you care to have that funding pulled from you if every tom dick and harry who didn't go for higher education here decided it wasn't worth their while paying for you to not understand basic societal and economic theory?

[quasi]

Originally Posted by Master_Shake

If you can't afford $30 a month you're either white or poor

What the fuck is that suppose to mean?