A lot of college students struggle to get to class without a car.
The lack of transportation can be an issue for any student, and adds a layer of stress and planning to an already busy schedule. For Salt Lake Community College students, the difficulty increases if the campus they need to get to is far away.
“Sometimes it can be hard to attend class on time,” says student Jessica Wilbert.
While surviving college without a car can be challenging, there are a few options that SLCC students can use to get to class on time.
On campus: Ride the B-Line
To get from campus to another, SLCC students can take the B-Line intercampus shuttle; all they need is a OneCard to ride for free.
The B-line has two separate routes that travel between five SLCC campuses every weekday during fall and spring semesters. The buses leave their stations approximately every hour.
In order to use the B-Line, students still need to get to the closest campus, which can require some other form of transit.
Off campus option 1: Take UTA
The Utah Transit Authority provides many bus and train routes that stop at or near SLCC campuses. Students can look up the different regional maps to see the closest services to their home and plan a travel routine.
UTA has partnered with SLCC to offer a student discount on premium passes, which include bus, TRAX and FrontRunner service. Students need to buy the pass online and take their receipt to any SLCC ID Center for activation.
Off campus option 2: Carpool
Having friends as classmates can have benefits — including the possibility to carpool.
Students can schedule times to meet up with their friends to get a ride. If multiple students from the same class want to split driving costs, they can even set up a carpool program with other students they know and trust.
Carpooling can also be an option for students who have cars but cannot afford to drive every day. To fill this need, UTA has set up a carpool match to help drivers who want to save on their commute costs.
Relying on public transit or friends to get to class may not be an ideal situation, but it is likely the only option for some students.
“It gets hard to attend school when you have no ride,” says student Jake Chance.
