Summer CRAM Pass is now available for UB Medical School, Bryant & Stratton and Erie Community College (all campuses) students.

College Riders Accessing Metro

CRAM Pass

A study published by the American Public Transportation Association suggests that Americans can save an average of nearly $10,000 a year by taking public transit instead of driving. Wow! Imagine saving that kind of money if you are a college student. And actually, college students are ideally situated to enjoy the benefits of public transportation because much of their activity stems from a centralized location. In addition to saving money on vehicle costs, studies have shown that students who use public transit generally manage their time better because they are used to abiding by transit schedules and develop enhanced time management skills. These skills can assist in school performance and overall professional success as well. Further, congestion, parking, and circulation problems are generally much lower at colleges that have a significant portion of students using public transit.

NFTA Metro’s College Pass Program

CRAM Swipe

As part of its continuing efforts to meet the needs of the college community, NFTA Metro currently offers colleges the opportunity to participate in our College/University Transit Pass Program. The transit pass program provides all students of participating* colleges unlimited access to the Metro Bus and Rail system, seven days a week at a significantly discounted rate. Students of participating colleges can use their Metro transit passes to commute to school, work or anywhere Metro services without having to pay additional fees.

* Required minimum one-year contract.

How Does the Program Work

CRAM Group

On an annual basis Metro provides the administration at participating colleges with unlimited access transit passes for the entire undergraduate student body. The front of the passes are customized with a college logo, an individual student's photo with name and an expiration date. The back of the passes contain a magnetic strip that is encoded for authenticity. (Note: Each pass belongs to an individual student and are non-transferable). For students using Metro bus, they swipe their card in the farebox upon boarding and for those using Metro rail, they show it when asked by Metro personnel. Student college passes may be disabled on an individual basis if they are lost, stolen, used fraudulently or if the student withdraws from the college. Participating colleges are invoiced near the latter portion of each semester based on the appropriate enrollment data.

NFTA Metro

NFTA Metro operates within Erie and Niagara Counties. It currently has over 300 buses in its regular fleet, 94 of which are equipped with hybrid technology. Metro also operates a 6.4 mile light rail system that runs from University Station (UB South) to Events Station (near First Niagara Center) and manages 18 park and ride lots. So, getting somewhere locally using Metro is almost always an option.

Current Participation

  • Bryant & Stratton
  • Erie Community College
  • UB Medical School

Frequently Asked Questions

For more information on the program, email: pr@nfta.com


Click the link below For Marketing Internship Opportunities: