As students settle into their autumn 2001 class schedules, they are also trying to map out routes to and from each class. Whether students are commuting or live on campus, everyone seems to be having problems with parking and the CABS busing service.

The root of the problems is the construction on Central Campus. According to the CABS Web site, within the next few years these major construction projects will result in additional loss of approximately 1,900 parking spaces. OSU students are already feeling the effects.

Students who buy “C” parking passes pay a big chunk of money to get what the university deems as prime central parking spaces. But what is the point of paying all that money when a space is not guaranteed?

Student parking spaces are more limited than before yet staff lots continue to expand. For example, “C” spots fill up by 9 a.m., yet the acres of “B” spots don’t seem to ever fill up.

Now, more students than ever are looking to West Campus for parking. But as the Web site explains, West Campus remote parking has gone from an under-utilized resource to filling up regularly during peak academic hours. The site even admits that additional space for the commuter population is needed. So crowds of 50 students are now waiting 30 minutes or more for a bus to come get them. Sometimes three or more buses too full to pick anyone up go flying by before the students actually get a ride.

To “help” fix the problems even further, CABS has changed its routes. Ridership continues to grow within the allocated annual hours of service – up from 2.3 million in 1998-99 to more than 4 million in 2000-01, according to the Web site.

In its misguided attempt to make things better, CABS changed the North Express route to Commuter Express. Many students have mistaken the new route as the old North Express, but the two are not equal and CABS isn’t doing a very good job of publicizing the changes. The new Commuter Express runs near Crew Stadium, which could take up to 20 minutes to return to campus.

CABS has also added and removes some stops from its routes, including the removal of five Core Circulator stops and condensing them to one stop. This change was made to make this highly-utilized route more efficient. It may allow the bus to run a little faster but what about all the students left at the curbs of these former stops? Most students aren’t aware of the changes. So crowds gather but the buses don’t stop.

CABS recognizes the problems and even states on the site that students are being left on the curb, but the steps it has taken aren’t working. Transportation and Parking need to collaborate on a plan to assist both commuter and residential students find an efficient route to their classes. Students want their money’s worth and right now, they’re not getting it.