Bus pass pickup needs a pick-me-up

Editor’s Note: This article was written by Lance Contributor Persaea Perras, not Arran Christie.

When Persaea’s name is eventually added to our website’s authors list, we will update the byline accordingly.

A folding sign with bus pass pickup instructions for graduate students is photographed outside the UWSA Offices on Sept. 15, 2026. (Photo: Arran Christie / The Lance)

Students complained of long wait times and unclear instructions while picking up their bus passes last week. 

Bus passes for the Fall and Winter semesters became available for pickup on Sept. 1 at the University of Windsor Students' Alliance (UWSA) Offices.

Instead of a physical card, students were provided with a digital bus pass through the Umo Mobility app. To activate their passes, students needed an eight-digit redemption code that could only be obtained in-person.

Throughout the week, wait times for bus pass pickup sat at about 30 to 40 minutes on average, and the length of the line had students turning on their heels.  

On Sept. 8, students waiting in line were told to leave and return the following day, as the UWSA Offices would be closing early at 3:30 p.m. instead of 4:30 p.m.

Despite having already waited in line, students were forced to repeat the entire process and leave without access to reliable transportation. 

A student waiting in line on Sept. 10, who asked to remain anonymous, stated, “[On Sept. 8], I waited 15 minutes but I had to step out, and then today, another 40 minutes.”

Alexis Skerritt, a third-year English and Creative Writing student, turned to social media to warn her peers about the wait times. 

“Heads up, don’t come to get your bus pass right now. Line is ridiculous,” Skerritt wrote to the Campus Pride Centre’s Discord server. 

When asked why she felt compelled to alert her friends, Skerritt said, “I just wanted people to understand how long [the line] was and how much time it would take, and to plan around that.” 

Narvin Fazlaliserkan, a second-year student in the School of Dramatic Art said, “I feel like this code could be emailed to everyone so we didn’t have to wait in line just to get a four-digit code...it would save so many people so much time.”

The Graduate Student Society (GSS) was the only student union to not require in-person pickup, opting instead to email the codes directly to students.

The email contained instructions for installing and operating the Umo app, as well as opt-out and technical information. Students could then find their code at the end of the email.

The Graduate Student Society (GSS) sent their bus pass codes via email, without requiring in-person pickup.

Graduate students could find the actual bus pass redemption code at the end of the email.

Editor’s note: Censor bar added by source.

In an emailed statement to the Lance, UWSA president Victorieuse Sambao explained that an in-person pickup system ensured that students’ requests and questions could be answered “as soon as they are asked.”

“With the new technology, students have had many questions and issues that would have been much more difficult to address through email alone. We ensure the process is done properly, and ensure that any problems are resolved immediately,” Sambao wrote.

There is also a risk, she added, that students will activate their codes accidentally if they are emailed.

“Once [the codes are] activated, they are no longer eligible to opt out of the program. Requiring in-person pickup helps limit these mistakes, as students who come to collect their pass are those who intend to use it.”

Additionally, due to the high number of undergraduate students compared to graduate and part-time students, Sambao said that “Email distribution could result in a significantly higher volume of questions and support needs.”

“In-person pickup allows us to answer those questions as soon as they are asked.”

In the past, the bus pass pickup process was facilitated by paid student clerks who distributed the bus passes and answered students’ questions. This allowed for a smoother and faster process overall, even when demand was high. 

When asked about the discontinuation of the paid clerk positions and the traditional pickup process as a whole, Sambao declined to comment. 

A photo obtained by the Lance shows the bus pass pickup line on Sept. 10, which began at the UWSA Offices and extended past the Womxn’s Centre. Students reported waiting anywhere from 25 to 40 minutes in line to pick up their codes.

Students who use public transportation raised concerns beyond the lengthy wait times, namely the reliability and accessibility of the Umo app. 

“My issue is that my phone is so old that I am unable to download the app, and that’s the only way to get a bus pass. So, I will be asking questions about that,” said Ariane Lesperance-Petryna, a Sociology and Criminology student.   

Students can receive a physical bus pass if Umo cannot be installed on their phone, but they must contact the UWSA in advance.  

 “I think the physical card is better because if my phone dies, I’m stranded here. It's stupid,” said Aiden Coulsey, an Honours History student. 

In the statement, Sambao wrote that “[The] UWSA’s mission is to ensure that students are aware of the resources, services, and supports available to them.” 

“The Executives (sic) and full-time staff are committed to supporting students throughout the year, beyond just the bus pass.”