Though you may have been wowed by the eucalyptus groves and weird art during your first starry-eyed trek across UCSD, dealing with a regular student’s routine has probably brought two things to your attention: 1) our parking sucks and 2) getting across campus on foot takes way too long ‘mdash; often resulting in tardiness and unattractive armpit stains.
So you’ve probably found ways to cope with transportation woes ‘mdash; whether that means catching the shuttle loop on your way to class, cramming into the Regents shuttle or playing car stalker in Gilman Parking Structure ‘mdash; and gotten over it. But after the Transportation Policy Committee met last week to brainstorm new funding solutions for campus transit services, our transportation lifelines are now on the chopping block.
In a month, the committee will respond to student input by recommending either a $50 user fee, a campuswide $15 student transportation fee or the reduction of campus services.
In making this decision we must resist our inner sloth and think about our priorities: sustainability, university access and affordable options. We must safeguard the Arriba and Regents shuttles ‘mdash; lines that benefit commuter students by reducing eco-impact ‘mdash; and cut luxuries like campus loop.
Campus loop’s four shuttles cost $400,000 annually. Although that money might seem like chump change in comparison to Parking and Transportation Services’ annual $7 million expenses, it’s the principle of our transportation spending that’s important. While campus loop may be a convenient service, its limited route and meandering pace hardly offer a time-efficient or eco-friendly way to get around campus.
Acquainting students with alternate forms of transportation is the first step to weaning us from fossil fuels. That’s why P’amp;TS should drop the gas-guzzling loop and introduce campus bike-rental services.
Transportation directors could base a campuswide program on already existing services ‘mdash; like the Why Not Here? Lounge’s bike lending program in Revelle College ‘mdash; to speed up on-campus travel while staying true to its sustainable goals. Not only would vehicle maintenance be cheaper and our air cleaner, but the student body could burn off those Burger King visits with a little cardio, too.
Students who are disabled or injured wouldn’t be left out either. Once they sign up for Americans with Disabilities Act transport services, they’re offered weekday van pickups and point-to-point campus cart transport.
It’s true that while starting up a bike lender program might help change student viewpoints about transportation ‘mdash; encouraging students to bike to school altogether ‘mdash; it won’t fund the university’s growing public transportation expenses. So if push comes to shove and we’re forced to choose between instituting a user-based or a campuswide fee, students should pick the latter.
By pitching in to ensure our public transit accessible and affordable, we’d be taking responsibility for our environmental impact and encouraging students to continue commuting. Keeping public transport fees low is also essential; if students aren’t riding the bus to spare the air, they’re most definitely doing it to save cash.
And who knows, with bikes and buses at their fingertips, maybe the auto-hermits will leave their cars at home and try to get their campuswide fee’s worth.