The University of New Mexico Parking & Transportation Services (PATS) Department announced today that the ABQRide Free Bus Pass Program will continue for the 2011-2012 academic year with distribution of the required #12 sticker beginning Aug. 1. The program provides current UNM students, staff, and faculty free, unlimited travel on the City of Albuquerque bus system, ABQRide, through the use of an annual sticker placed on university-issued identification cards. This will be the fifth year the program will be offered at UNM.

"More and more students, staff, and faculty are using the ABQRide Free Bus Pass Program to get to and from campus," said Robert Nelson, interim director of PATS. "UNM ridership for the 2010-2011 academic year increased eight percent compared to the previous year."

The ABQRide Free Bus Pass Program began in 2007 for UNM students and was expanded to staff and faculty the following year, including UNM Hospital staff. The program allows members of the UNM community to travel on any ABQRide bus for free, including the city's popular Rapid Ride buses. The program excludes transportation for city special events such as the park and ride program for the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta or State Fair.

To receive the 2011-2012 program sticker, current students, staff, or faculty must prove their eligibility. Students must bring a copy of the fall 2011 class schedule to a distribution location; staff and faculty must bring a printout of their expanded record in the UNM directory. The sticker may only be issued on a current Lobo or Health Sciences Center ID.

2011-2012 ABQRide Free Bus Pass Stickers will be available at the following locations beginning Monday, Aug. 1.

  • UNM Student Union Building –Transportation Information Center (Plaza Level)

  • UNM Student Union Building - Welcome Desk

  • UNM Medical/Legal Bookstore (Will begin dis­tri­b­u­tion Sep­tem­ber 1, 2011)

  • UNM Parking and Transportation Services

  • UNM Hospital Parking and Transportation Services

  • UNM Bookstore-Main Campus (Will begin distribution September 1, 2011)


The free bus pass sticker program is just one of many free and low cost transportation programs offered by PATS. For more information about ABQRide, planning your alternative transportation trip, or other alternative transportation programs visit PATS' Transportation Information Center in the plaza level of the Student Union Building. You can also contact the Transportation Information Center at 277-1920.

For more information contact: Danielle Gilliam, PATS Program Specialist, 277-0461; dgilliam@parking.unm.edu

Media Contact: Benson Hendrix, (505) 277-1816; email: bhendrix@unm.edu