FaSt Pass and COASTER Pass for Faculty and Staff

As part of the VC-50 for Transit pilot program, vice chancellors sponsor 50% of their eligible¹ employees’ transit pass costs, up to $27 per month. To make it even easier for first-time transit pass participants to get started, Transportation Services sponsors the employee share during a free, three-month trial period for FaSt² and Reduced Fare Passes or one-month trial period for COASTER 2 and 3 Zone passes.

The VC-50 for Transit pilot program began in August 2022 and is expected to continue through June 2025. The program may be shortened, modified or cancelled at UC San Diego’s sole discretion. Extension of the pilot may be considered but is not guaranteed.

Existing FaSt Pass and COASTER Pass customers who meet VC-50 for Transit eligibility requirements will be automatically enrolled and will see the new, discounted rate automatically reflected on biweekly paychecks received during the month of July or the monthly paycheck received in August 2022.

VC-50 for Transit Pilot Program Pricing

¹ Eligible employees are policy-covered UC San Diego faculty or staff with active appointment statuses. Consistent with the Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), UC San Diego is also extending access to the same pilot program to represented staff. To participate, employees must authorize payroll deduction for the Employee Share of transit pass costs. Employees with an active payroll deduction for monthly parking or an active “consecutive days” parking permit are not able to participate in the VC-50 for Transit pilot program. Temporary personnel, contingent workers and per diem employees are not eligible for VC-50 for Transit at this time. Student employees covered by a CBA have MTS access as part of their student status but may participate in the VC-50 for Transit pilot for COASTER passes if they meet all other eligibility criteria.

² FaSt Pass is valid for unlimited monthly rides on SPRINTER, BREEZE, MTS Bus, MTS Trolley, MTS Rapid.

³ COASTER pass is valid for unlimited monthly rides on COASTER, SPRINTER, BREEZE, FLEX, MTS Bus, MTS Trolley, MTS Rapid, MTS Rapid Express, MTS Rural.

To apply for the VC-50 for Transit pilot program, please complete the application below. Transportation Services staff will swiftly verify eligibility, process enrollment and send an email confirmation. Applications must be submitted by the 25th of the month to begin riding on the 1st of the following month.

Transportation Services sponsors all program administration costs in addition to the free trial period. Both vice chancellor and Transportation Services sponsorships are considered Qualified Transportation Benefits and are not taxed. Employees must pay for their share of the cost through payroll deductions, which can be taken out on a pre-tax basis.

Products purchased under the VC-50 for Transit pilot program are for the exclusive use of the participating employee and are for the primary purpose of commuting or university business travel.

Reduced fare products require preauthorization, see PRONTO Reduced Fare Application. Please forward your reduced fare approval email to iride@ucsd.edu with the subject line “Reduced Fare Approval” and one of our customer service specialists will update your account to receive reduced fare products in the PRONTO portal.

Learn how to use FaSt Pass: FaSt Pass Tutorial Video.

VC-50 for Transit: Employee Transit Pass Program Enrollment

To purchase a transit pass through VC-50, you must already have a virtual or physical PRONTO card. If you don't have one, you can download the mobile PRONTO app from the App Store or Google Play and create an account with your @ucsd.edu email. (Extensions such as @health.ucsd.edu and @eng.ucsd.edu are invalid.) If you don't use a smartphone, you can get a physical card at a regional retailer. To complete the application process, you'll need your 20-digit PRONTO virtual or physical card number.

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