The national average for one gallon of gas has reached over $4 and that is a price that many Ohio State students are unwilling - or unable - to pay. With plenty of alternatives at their fingertips, students do not have to worry about spending money to get where they want to go.
When recent OSU graduate Jessica Fleury was a sophomore, she utilized a service that she was already paying for through her tuition.
"I would take COTA and head downtown and not have to spend any money putting gas into my car," Fleury said.
The Central Ohio Transit Authority is a public transportation service that students are encouraged to use; a fee is charged to students every quarter for the opportunity to ride the bus with a flash of their BuckID. Riding on COTA can take students to such destinations as Easton Town Center, Polaris Fashion Place, Port Columbus International Airport and Columbus State Community College.
"I have friends that take classes at Columbus State in addition to Ohio State," Fleury said. "They use COTA to go back and forth."
For more campus-centered activities, students can utilize OSU's bus system, CABS, to get around without showing their ID to ride. As well as being convenient, CABS has attempted to become more environmentally friendly
According to the OSU Business Web site, CABS buses have been fully fueled by biodiesel since autumn quarter 2006. The B20 biodiesel used creates 15 percent less carbon dioxide emissions.
Zipcars are becoming a popular method of transportation as well. After registering online, students can utilize any of the Zipcars available in special campus parking spots.
Zipcars have numerous styles of vehicles and can be used for $9 per hour or $66 for the whole day. That fee includes gas, insurance and reserved parking. Every time a reservation to use a Zipcar is made, the renter receives 180 free miles. After the first 180 miles expire, the cost of each additional mile is 35 cents.
Students that prefer to get from one place to another on their own power can take advantage of the new Recreation & Physical Activity Center program called Buckeye Bikes. Buckeye Bikes is a free bike service that allows any student who is 18 and older with a valid BuckID to stop by the RPAC and check out a bike for up to two days.
Around college campuses, bikes frequently have been a popular method of transportation, but traditionally most workers have commuted by car. With gas prices hovering around $4, however, local bike store BikeSource has seen an increase in people looking for alternatives.
"We are seeing a lot more people buying commuter bikes," said Andrew Jenkins, store manager for BikeSource.
"We always see a lot of students coming through here but there has definitely been an increase," he said.
Another alternative for getting to campus is scooters.
According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, scooter sales nearly doubled from 2002 to 2008. Sales have been up 24 percent in the first quarter of 2008.
Scooters average about 60 miles-per-gallon and can generally go anywhere that a normal car can.
According to the Ohio Department of Public Safety, only scooters with a valid drivers license that are titled, registered and insured are considered legal for Ohio roadways.
David Surovec can be reached at surovec.1@osu.edu.
2008 Woodie Awards
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Commuter
posted 7/15/08 @ 1:05 PM EST
Cota is crap. This city could not possibly be more segregated.
Try to take a bus anywhere from northeast or east Columbus. You have to to stop downtown first. (Continued…)
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