F.A.Q's

It varies. TS hires a mail fulfillment vendor who sends the AS Eco Pass by mail in large batches (thousands of students at a time). TS and the vendor typically perform three to four mail batches in the few weeks before and after the beginning of each Spring and Fall semesters.

Why can't I receive the AS Eco Pass by mail if I pay late?

Because TS hires a vendor to mail the Eco Pass stickers in large batches, it would be uneconomical for TS to continue the process after the second week of each new semester. Also, since each mailing process typically takes up to a week, it would be more convenient for you to pick up and use the sticker immediately if you pay late, rather than waiting a week.

Regardless of the payment deadline set by the Bursar's Office, TS encourages students to pay as soon as possible so that TS can mail out the AS Eco Pass sticker before the expiration date of the last semester's sticker.

I am a returning student, but I haven't received the new sticker and classes are starting. What should I do?

As a returning student, you should have the Eco Pass sticker from last semester. Take a look at the validation date of your old sticker. It is valid on VTA three weeks into the new semester. The validation periods on old and new stickers are intentionally overlapped so that you don't have to worry about VTA coverage for the first day of class.

If you're a new student, please visit the TS Center located on the main floor of the Student Union.

Only AS Eco Pass stickers, used with your Tower Card, is valid on the VTA. Other ID or proofs of SJSU enrollment is not valid for transportation.

Which address (mailing or home) TS uses for sending the Eco Pass stickers by mail?

TS will generally use the mailing address. Home address will be used if there is no mailling addresss. TS will not mail to any address located outside of California.

Why do I have to pick up the sticker if I pay before classes start and have an address in California but outside of the Bay Area?

TS hires a mail fulfillment vendor who sends the Eco Pass in large batches. The Eco Pass is mailed to addresses outside of Bay Area only with the first and possibly the second batch (which occurs in the beginning of August for the fall semester and in the beginning of January for the spring semester).

In later batches, TS will only send to students with addresses inside the Bay Area.

The idea is that, since most students with addresses outside of the Bay Area relocate to on-campus residence halls or nearby apartments, and that the mailing process normally takes up to a week, it would be more convenient for you to pick up the sticker in person rather than having the sticker sent to your relatives or former roommates, and then have your relatives or former roommates to mail the sticker back to you.

If you live in a nearby apartment but change apartments every semester, we recommends that you send us a request not to mail the Eco Pass to you.

Do I have to sign up every semester if I want to pick up the sticker and not to have it sent by mail?

Once you've signed up to pick up the Eco Pass sticker, it is permanent. However, you can request to remove your name off the list. If you would like to make such request, please visit the TS Center.

Why does Transportation Solutions mail out the Eco Pass stickers to some students but not others?

TS distributes the AS Eco Pass by mail mainly for convenience. TS typically sends out over 20,000 Eco Pass mailers to students (2/3 of the enrollment at SJSU). If TS were to require all students to pick up the stickers, the pick up line will be very long. By distributing the stickers by mail, TS is able to keep the pick up line short for those who must pick up the sticker.

TS strives to develop new ways to help students obtaining the Eco Pass sticker in a convenient and timely manner. At the same time, TS has the responsibility to enforce eligibility requirements.

I was on the mailing list in previous semesters, why did TS drop me off the mailing list automatically even though I paid the fees early?

TS will drop students off the mailing list automatically if:

the student has picked up the sticker at the TS Center two semesters in a row claiming that he or she did not receive the original AS Eco Pass sticker by mail, and that the student has the same address registered in MySJSU as the previous two semesters.

the mail has been returned from the Post Office the previous semester and the student has the same address registered in MySJSU as in that semester.

Because of the likelihood that these students will not receive their sticker again by mail in the future, TS will not mail to them in order to reduce the potential for abuse and allow them to pick up the Eco Pass sticker at the TS Center at the earliest opportunity.

Once that determination is made, TS will not send the sticker by mass mail for the rest of the semester, even if the address is changed later during the semester. However, TS will reconsider mailing for the following semester.

Students who cannot pick up the sticker in person are welcome to submit a request through Self Address Stamped Envelope.

Is there a grace period after the expiration date of the old Eco Pass sticker?

There's no grace period. The three week overlapping period between the old and new stickers is the grace period. You may be denied boarding or receive a citation if you use an expired sticker on VTA. Please visit the TS Center by the beginning of third week, but before the expiration date, if you are not able to receive the sticker by mail.

I have applied for financial aid and I am waiting for financial aid approval and/or disbursement. Can I get the Eco Pass sticker?

TS may only issue the AS Eco Pass sticker at the TS Center to financial aid students waiting for approval/disbursement with either a "fee deferral" or "loan in-progress" indicator granted by the Financial Aid & Scholarship Office.

When the "fee deferral" indicator expires, TS will require the payment of all AS fees before issuing the Eco Pass sticker.

I lost my Tower Card plastic sleeve (or the sleeve has worn out), how can I get a replacement sleeve?

Please come to the TS Center to get a replacement plastic sleeve at no charge.

Why do I have to place the Eco Pass sticker on the plastic sleeve? The plastic sleeve doesn't fit in my wallet. Can't I just place the sticker on the Tower Card and ride VTA anyway?

The Tower Card is a multi-purpose campus ID. The magnetic stripe on the back of the card allows access to Gold Points, which can be used for payment at many dining, laundry, and photocopying/printing facilities on-campus. If the sticker is placed directly on the card, it may cause problems for the vendor and cardholder whenever the card is used to access Gold Points.

VTA may deny boarding or issue a citation to SJSU students and employees who have the AS Eco Pass sticker placed directly on the Tower Card. If you've placed the sticker on the card, take the card and the original sticker to the TS Center and receive a free replacement sticker and plastic sleeve.

Can I give away or sell my sticker since I don't ride VTA?

No. It is a violation of California Penal Code 640 if you give away or sell your AS Eco Pass sticker. Transportation Solutions will report any solicitation of sale or transfer of the sticker to law enforcement authorities.

Even if you don't intend to ride VTA, AS Eco Pass is necessary to access some of the student services provided by Associated Students and SJSU.

In the event that you want to ride VTA occasionally (e.g. to avoid high parking fees at special events, or when your car is disabled), you will not have to worry about paying the bus or light rail fare if you have a valid Eco Pass sticker.

I was a student in 2002, took a break from college, and is now coming back for graduate school. Why is TS not accepting my Tower Card (issued in 2002) when I try to pick up my AS Eco Pass sticker?

TS does not accept Tower Cards that were issued before 2003. Although the Tower Cards issued before and after 2003 look similar, the old cards contain Social Security number rather than the current 9 digit SJSU ID number.

My class spans two semesters and I am working on the project this semester. Why can't I get the sticker for free?

We consider a student to be currently enrolled if the student is enrolled in courses according to MySJSU and that the current semester's fees are paid. Students working only on projects do not pay the current semester's fees. As such, these students must present a letter from the department stating the project status and pay the A.S. fees like Open University and Special Session students.

What can I do if I want to ride VTA but I don't have (or not eligible for) a valid Eco Pass sticker?

All VTA services are offered to the general public. VTA offers one-way cash fares, along with day and monthly flash passes. You can purchase VTA monthly flash passes at the TS Center.

VTA also accepts the following tickets and passes from other transit operators as local fare payment:

Operator	Ticket type	Restriction
Altamont Commuter Express	One way/Round trip
	20-ride
	Monthly pass
Caltrain	Monthly pass	Two zones or more
SamTrans	Monthly pass	Shared stops only
AC Transit (including Dumbarton Express)	Transfer	Single ride only at shared stops
AC Transit (including Dumbarton Express)	31-day pass	Shared stops only
Highway 17 Express	Day pass
Highway 17 Express	Monthly pass
Monterey Salinas Transit	Super day pass
Monterey Salinas Transit	All zone monthly pass
BART	BART Plus ticket
Amtrak Capitol Corridor	Transit transfer	Single ride only

I lost my Tower Card and the Eco Pass sticker, where can I go for lost and found so that I may not have to get a new sticker and pay the replacement fee?

Onboard VTA buses and light rail: 408-321-2300 (VTA Customer Service)
At the Martin Luther King Jr. Library: Gound Floor Information Desk
Elsewhere on campus: 408-924-6310 (Student Union Administration Office)
Onboard Caltrain: 415-546-4482 (San Francisco) or 408-271-4980 (San Jose)

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