Students Get Creative With Transportation -

Beatrice Negulescu / Roundup

With the troubled economy and the price of gasoline constantly increasing, some Pierce students are looking to different means of transportation to help them get to school.

“I prefer taking the bus to school,” says nursing major Sean Ilejay, 19.

Ilejay, who takes the Orange Line to the station located at the corner of Winnetka Avenue and Victory Boulevard, used to drive his car to school until he was involved in a car accident in the Victory parking lot.

“I was waiting behind a girl to park when she put her car in reverse and slapped on the gas. The damages to my car came out to $1,700,” said Ilejay, who now prefers to pay the student discounted price of $19 for a monthly bus pass instead of using his car. Additional forms of transportation used by students include bike riding and even carpooling. Jacob Wallace, 20, is one of the students who likes to exercise both of those options.

“I carpool with my best friend. It is cheaper on gas because we split it, and when we are late we take turns parking the car so at least one of us makes it to class on time,” Wallace said.

Wallace, who gets frustrated with the limited parking at school, also rides his bike on days when it is cool outside. “It saves me tons of time on looking for a parking spot, and it‘s great exercise too,” he said.

While students like Wallace and Illejay prefer the bus and bike over driving to school, psychology major Brittany Mangrum, 21, “couldn’t imagine not driving to school.”

Mangrum, who has been at Pierce for three years, likes the convenience of having her car at her disposal.

“I am not very fond of the price of gas, but I like to be sure I make it to class on time, and with those flaky bus schedules you never know,” Mangrum said.

Although they prefer different modes of transportation, Ilejay, Wallace and Mangrum all agree on one thing: Getting to school on time is a priority.

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