ASM Bus Pass

Pick up Spring/Summer ASM Student Bus Passes at Studentprint

333 East Campus Mall 3rd floor
Monday-Friday
10 am to 5:30 pm
To confirm recess/break/holiday hours see the StudentPrint website


Program Rules, Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, Links to Metro Info

To be eligible for a Spring/Summer 2024 pass, you must be registered for classes for at least one academic credit at UW-Madison for the spring semester. Most UW-Madison students qualify under this criteria. Students who do not meet this criteria include senior guest auditors, visiting scholars, visiting researchers, students enrolled in some University of Wisconsin capstone and distance learning programs, students enrolled at other institutions, and students who have not yet enrolled for the semester. All students, including dissertators, must be enrolled to qualify for an ASM bus pass.

Students enrolling at Madison for classes during the Summer Session as first time enrollees, or after a break in enrollment, generally will not appear on the list of students eligible for a pass until the start of the exact term for which they have enrolled.

Students must  have a current, active and readable Wiscard bearing the ID number under which they are registered for classes. Cards which have been reported lost or stolen, suspended cards, invalid cards, expired cards and cards that cannot be read due to damage will not be accepted. Please rectify any of these issues directly with the Wiscard office: https://wiscard.wisc.edu/

You may only pick up your own bus pass with your  own current, valid Wiscard. You may not pick up a pass for anyone else. Do not let anyone else use your Wiscard to pick up a pass.

You must have your Wiscard in hand to pick up your pass. We do not manually input Wiscard numbers into our readers; you must have your Wiscard with you, and your Wiscard must be swiped through our reader and validated in order for us to dispense a bus pass.

If your Wiscard has expired, or has been suspended because it was reported as lost or stolen, or is damaged and cannot be read on our readers, you will be required to get a new Wiscard (or use your current, valid card if the one you show us has been listed as lost or stolen). See https://wiscard.wisc.edu/ if you want to check the status of your card or need information on how to obtain a replacement.

StudentPrint is also the exclusive distribution point for replacement bus passes, should you lose your pass.

There is a non-refundable $20 charge for replacement passes, and you must have your Wiscard in hand to purchase one.

If your pass is damaged or for whatever reason cannot be read by the readers on the buses, you may exchange it for a new one without charge at StudentPrint. You must have both the damaged pass and your Wiscard with you to make the exchange. If you do not have the damaged pass in hand, the exchange will be considered a replacement, there will be a $20 charge, and it will count against the cap on replacement passes per semester.

You are limited to two replacement passes per semester.

Only YOU may pick up your bus pass. No one may pick it up on your behalf. And you are responsible for keeping track of your Wiscard. If someone else uses your Wiscard to pick up a bus pass, you will be charged the replacement fee when you try to do the same.

This pass for “free” rides is not free! UW-Madison students pay for the unlimited pass program and the campus bus program via the fees you are charged. Help up keep your fees down by protecting your Wiscard and your bus pass. It is not to be shared with others or resold. Students abusing the system may be reported to the Dean of Students for non-academic misconduct.

ASM Student Bus Passes are valid for use through August 2024. The Student Activity Center at 333 East Campus Mall is closed during breaks, as is StudentPrint. New and replacement fall passes are not available during breaks. StudentPrint hours may be subject to change, especially around breaks, so please check their hours at  https://stuprint.org/

Metro Transit serves the Cities of Madison, Sun Prairie, Middleton, Fitchburg and also offers some peak hour service to the City of Verona. Metro Transit also includes paratransit service; its buses are equipped with lifts, audible stop announcements and other features to make mainline service accessible to all; in addition, dedicated paratransit vehicles offer curb to curb service by reservation to those who qualify. For more information about how to qualify for this service, and other supplemental service available within campus, please see ourParatransit page. Your ASM bus pass may be used for payment for Metro Transit paratransit service; the UW’s accessible campus shuttle, like the other campus routes, is free for all to use without having to show a pass. Information about that service is also available on our Paratransit page

UW Madison Students may us an ASM Bus Pass to board all Metro bus routes except the campus bus routes:  Routes 80, 81, 82 and 84. No passes or payment are required to ride the Route 80, 81, 82 or 84.

Just as you may not share or resell your original pass, you may not share or resell a replacement pass.   Students abusing the system may be reported to the Dean of Students for non-academic misconduct.

If you misplace your pass when school is not in session, such as winter break, you will need to pay the fare or present a different pass to ride Metro Transit. Check  for information about the variety of discount fares available is available on Metro Transit’s fare page 
If you have any questions, email buspass@asm.wisc.edu

How To Ride Metro

Covid and RSV are still in circulation, and the wearing of high quality masks (N-95 or equivalent)  is recommended on Metro Transit buses and other crowded indoor spaces.

Be ready to swipe your ASM Bus Pass through the card reader on the farebox of the bus as soon as you board. This will help speed the boarding process and keep the bus on schedule. Please note that no pass or payment is required to board any Route 80, 81, 82 or 84 bus or the accessible shuttle.

Metro Transit instituted a new system of routes and schedules in June 2023 and is in the midst of the buildout of a Bus Rapid Transit system.  Schedule adjustments and construction delays can be expected through at least late summer 2024,  so plan ahead and stay tuned to updated route and schedule information. You can  get more information on routes, schedules, planning, phone apps for real time bus arrival information on the Metro Transit website:

https://cityofmadison.com/metro

 

You can also sign up for text and email alerts to keep up with planned and unplanned detours and other changes at that site. Detours and delays do happen with some frequency, and that is another reason  we recommend signing up for Metro Transit’s text alerts service.

https://www.cityofmadison.com/metro/detours is a more static location for information and updates on planned detours.

If you have any issues with anything aspect of your ride with Metro, including overcrowding/being passed up, please contact Metro Customer Service to report the problem.

Metro customer service reports can be filed via phone, email or web form. The online feedback form is located at https://www.cityofmadison.com/metro/contact/feedback

We recommend using this online feedback form for best documentation and followup,  but if you prefer to speak with an operator call  1(608) 266-4466. The customer service email address is mymetrobus@cityofmadison.com If the issue pertains to a particular ride, it will be helpful to know the date, time and location you boarded the bus, the route number of the bus and the direction the bus was heading.

This program is paid for by UW Madison students via student segregated fees. You must be registered for classes for academic credit at UW Madison and be charged student segregated fees to use this program.

Faculty and Staff at UW Madison should contact UW Transportation Services to order a Faculty/Staff pass. Employees of the Hospital and other affiliated institutions should follow the instructions provided by their employer.

If you have further questions or need help, please send us an email at buspass@asm.wisc.edu