There is nothing more frustrating than hearing about other students going home at their leisure on the weekends when I only get to make the trip back to my own hometown every break.
As a freshman who doesn’t own a car, is forbidden to have one on campus and who is not all that fond of driving, my options for making visits home are incredibly limited.
I certainly don’t blame my parents, however, for not making regular trips to come and get me for the weekend. Gas prices are outrageous and a six-hour round-trip from Madison, Ohio, northeast of Cleveland twice in just a few days would be brutal for them.
The few individuals that I know who are also from my area of Ohio, usually find themselves in the same position. Carpooling rarely works because none of us have the ability to get home in the first place.
In my opinion, Ohio State needs to sign a contract for its own system of shuttle buses.
It could provide transportation to some of the major Ohio cities that are farther away from Columbus. A large number of students would surely benefit, including those living in border states, as well as individuals from smaller Ohio towns, as they would only need to find a ride from the arrival destination.
This concept could even be implemented for academic breaks when transportation from campus is particularly crucial.
Tickets to use the bus service would surely need to be reasonably priced, but if enough students take advantage of the opportunity, the cost of a contract for such a transportation system could easily become more affordable for the university.
Although shuttle buses such as Greyhound are available in the area, a service specifically partnered with the university would ultimately make travel less stressful for students.
Early in the school year it became apparent to me what an excellent opportunity this would be, and the recent Undergraduate Student Government campaigns reflected a similar sentiment. The placement of that very idea in the platform for newly elected USG President Taylor Stepp and Vice President Kevin Arndt opened my eyes to the fact that I am not alone in this situation.
Therefore, I believe that the development of a charter bus service through OSU would see a positive response from students, ultimately making transportation more convenient and accessible for those who truly need it.
