Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee
JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
Bill No.: SB-304
AN ACT CONCERNING TRANSPORTATION SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO STUDENTS AT INSTITUTIONS OF
Title: HIGHER EDUCATION.
Vote Date: 3/10/2020
Vote Action: Joint Favorable Substitute
PH Date: 3/3/2020
File No.:
Disclaimer: The following JOINT FAVORABLE Report is prepared for the benefit of the
members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and
explanation and does not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber
thereof for any purpose.
SPONSORS OF BILL:
Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee
REASONS FOR BILL:
This bill seeks to give the transportation commissioner the ability to create contracts with
institutes of higher education to increase transportation options for students. It requires these
contracts to specify, at a minimum, (1) effective dates for student transportation passes, (2)
terms of use for the passes, (3) specific services the pass can be used for, (4) terms for
institutional payments to DOT, and (5) other necessary terms and conditions.
Substitute language was added to include private occupational schools as eligible to
participate in contracting with DOT.
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
None expressed.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
Jennifer Widness, President, CT Conference of Independent Colleges: Ms. Widness
submitted testimony in support of this bill on behalf of the CCIC. They believe that expanding
DOT's authority to expand the UPASS program to the fifteen private colleges in Connecticut
will give students in the state more access to school, work, and internship opportunities.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
Don Soja, Vice President, CT Bus Association: Mr. Soja submitted testimony in opposition
to this bill. He notes that the current UPASS program comes with a significant loss of revenue
to private transportation companies notably Peter Pan, the company he works for. This loss
of revenue caused them to drastically reduce service and reduce fares to compete with
subsidized state services. If this bill were passed, he believes that most if not all private
transportation companies would experience the same revenue loss.
Jean Cronin, Executive Director, CT Bus Association: Ms. Cronin submitted testimony in
opposition to this bill on behalf of the CBA. They believe that this bill could jeopardize the
existing contracts that their member companies currently have with private colleges and
universities, and effectively eliminate private sector contracts by replacing them with state
contracts that could be more costly and less efficient. In addition, adding the Metro North to
the UPASS system would overcrowd the trains and affect commuters who use the system to
get to and from work on a daily basis.
Reported by: Assistant Clerk Krystin DeLucia Date: March 10, 2020
Page 2 of 2 SB-304


Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: