Special to El Rrun-Rrun
It is good to hear that Texas Southmost College and the City of Brownsville – Bmetro signed an agreement to expand bus transit service for TSC students citywide.
That simple need – transportation – might not sound like much, but in cash-strapped Brownsville and for the children of local residents, it is a basic necessity that often determines whether they stay in school and finish their studies.
When asked why UTRGV students – also Brownsville residents – were not included in the deal, Mayor Trey Mendez said that TSC had "asked, and they paid."
"We strive to do what is best for our students and being able to eliminate barriers for our students to get an education is a priority,”Adela G. Garza, TSC Board of Trustees Chairwoman told the local daily. “This is very exciting because the bus service will help our students get to class and wherever they need to go, like to their jobs.”
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She said the bus transit service for TSC students began as a pilot program in January for the spring 2019 semester to address students’ transportation concerns.
"We were really concerned about students that were registering in the fall and not returning in the spring semester,” said Dr. Tony Zavaleta, TSC Board of Trustees Secretary.
“What we found out was that it wasn't because of their grades or that they had to work, it was because they couldn't get to class. They did not have transportation. This agreement is so significant between TSC, the City of Brownsville and Bmetro because it will allow any TSC student that needs to come to class, and go to work, to get on the bus and get there."
TSC students can use all fixed-route services free of charge by providing a valid TSC student identification card. The service will end on Aug. 28, 2020.
Mendez – a former TSC ttustee – also hailed the pact.
"This has been a long time coming,” he said. “When I was on the TSC Board of Trustees, we had students calling some of us and saying, 'if only I could get to school, then I would be able to take classes.' This really is an impediment. The reality of our economics down here is such that some students really could not get to school unless they had reliable transportation. Thanks to this signing, we are able to provide that access to students.”
The cost to TSC is $50,000 a year and the students can use the service not only to go to school, but also to get to their jobs.
Now, with UTRGV starting to provide free tuition and fees to local students in the Fall of 2020, will it also step up to the plate anc cut a deal with Brpownsville-Metro to give its Brownsville students the same service as TSC?
It is good to hear that Texas Southmost College and the City of Brownsville – Bmetro signed an agreement to expand bus transit service for TSC students citywide.
That simple need – transportation – might not sound like much, but in cash-strapped Brownsville and for the children of local residents, it is a basic necessity that often determines whether they stay in school and finish their studies.
When asked why UTRGV students – also Brownsville residents – were not included in the deal, Mayor Trey Mendez said that TSC had "asked, and they paid."
"We strive to do what is best for our students and being able to eliminate barriers for our students to get an education is a priority,”Adela G. Garza, TSC Board of Trustees Chairwoman told the local daily. “This is very exciting because the bus service will help our students get to class and wherever they need to go, like to their jobs.”
She said the bus transit service for TSC students began as a pilot program in January for the spring 2019 semester to address students’ transportation concerns."We were really concerned about students that were registering in the fall and not returning in the spring semester,” said Dr. Tony Zavaleta, TSC Board of Trustees Secretary.
“What we found out was that it wasn't because of their grades or that they had to work, it was because they couldn't get to class. They did not have transportation. This agreement is so significant between TSC, the City of Brownsville and Bmetro because it will allow any TSC student that needs to come to class, and go to work, to get on the bus and get there."
TSC students can use all fixed-route services free of charge by providing a valid TSC student identification card. The service will end on Aug. 28, 2020.
Mendez – a former TSC ttustee – also hailed the pact.
"This has been a long time coming,” he said. “When I was on the TSC Board of Trustees, we had students calling some of us and saying, 'if only I could get to school, then I would be able to take classes.' This really is an impediment. The reality of our economics down here is such that some students really could not get to school unless they had reliable transportation. Thanks to this signing, we are able to provide that access to students.”
The cost to TSC is $50,000 a year and the students can use the service not only to go to school, but also to get to their jobs.
Now, with UTRGV starting to provide free tuition and fees to local students in the Fall of 2020, will it also step up to the plate anc cut a deal with Brpownsville-Metro to give its Brownsville students the same service as TSC?