The best ways to get to, and get around on, campus
Depending on where you live (on- or off-campus), there are a variety of modes of transportation you can take to commute. If you live in a big city, public transportation is probably your best bet. Before settling on one form, though, be sure to compare and contrast all options, including commute time, cost of the commute and how accessible it is. Also, most forms of public transit offer discounted passes for commuters who use them regularly. Often, they come in the form of a month pass. You should also check with your school, they may offer transit passes for students to use for free.
If you live close to campus, biking or walking will probably be the best way for you to commute to and from campus. Be sure to invest in good walking shoes and durable tires for your ride. You’ll be using them very often, so it’s best to invest in some that will last you for a long time rather than settle for the least expensive ones available.
If you don’t live far from campus, there are a variety of quick and fun ways to get around. Here are a few of our favorites:
Skateboards/long boards:
Suggested company: Originalskateboards.com:
Scott Imbire and his brother borrowed the money their parents put aside for them to go to college to start originalskateboards.com. They developed a mechanism for long boards to get them to turn sharper and control speed when going down hill, designed to mimic the motion of surfing and snowboarding.
It’s easier to learn and get full control of right away. “I firmly believe that anyone who steps on our board can really control it in a couple hours,” said co-owner Scott Imbrie.
Benefits: Wide wheel base, option to customize, easy to carry around, easy to learn
Price range: $129 to $300
Bikes
Suggested company: www.collegebikes.com
Check out the only company that specializes in making bikes specifically for college students. They work with local dealers and sell cruisers, mountain bikes and road bikes to cater to your needs and terrain and environment.
Customize it: You can get a bike specifically for your college or fraternity. “We know there’s a lot of pride in the Greek University,” Director of Business Development Jonathan Sobin said. If you place a minimum order of 100 bikes, they’ll do a custom order for custom bikes. “No bike company will do something that small,” Sobin says.
Bike sharing programs: It’s like Zipcars, but for bicycles. The bike stations have a set of bikes locked in place. All you’ll have to do is swipe your student ID card and drop the bike at any other station on campus. The University of California Irvine is the first to do it, but they’re in talks with a number of other schools.
Price range: Bikes start at $299 each with a spring sale of $50 off knocking it down to $249 for the cruisers. Check out collegebikes.com for custom orders.
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