But it doesn’t have to be this way — many colleges and universities in major cities across the country partner with local public transit systems to offer their students free or reduced fares. In a city with one of the largest subway systems in the world, it’s surprising that NYU hasn’t already done the same. Public transportation is an essential part of life for the vast majority of New Yorkers, NYU students included, with 94% of students regularly using some form of mass transit and 41% of them being subway riders. So what would be the actual cost of such a program for NYU students? Although NYU students have access to some of the most culturally diverse places in the world, Greenwich Village can often feel like an isolated bubble.