By Kadie Gurley
Whether you were relaxing at the beach on the warm sand, riding the ferris wheel while holding a turkey leg at the county fair, or going to the movies to laugh or cry while watching your favorite film, summer provided a much needed academic break for students. However, all good things must come to an end.
Transportation is one of the things students should decide on early in the school year. Driving, taking the bus, rideshare apps and riding a bike are the most common ways that students choose to travel to campus.
However, being primarily a commuter campus, transportation can be tricky.
Here are some helpful tips for commuters.
For students that drive to campus, I recommend coming at least an hour before your class begins as finding parking can often be a pain due to traffic.
Thankfully, there’s over 14,000 parking spots at CSULB, which should ease the stress that comes with driving to campus as the semester progresses. Buses and ride share services like Uber or Lyft also often pass through compacted areas around campus.
If you do not drive or have a license, just know that there are still affordable options that can help you get to campus.
The City of Long Beach has made improvements on becoming sustainable in transportation and CSULB is actively working to uphold that standard.
If you decide to use apps like Uber to get to school, be mindful of the traffic and time that it will take to get there. Ride sharing can be expensive and often requires you to wait for a while until the prices go down.
The most cost efficient way to get to campus is by bus. Just like the other methods, leave at least an hour before class starts or even earlier because it will take a little longer to arrive depending on where you live.
There are many ways you can pay for the bus. Parking and Transportation Services offers discounted rides for students commuting to The Beach.
“Go Beach!” discounted bus passes are available to students, staff and faculty. This pass is good for Long Beach Transit buses. Also, Metro has discounted fare within the TAP card.
If you live on campus in the dorms and do not feel like walking for a long time, I recommend using e-bikes, scooters, or shuttle services. Bikes and scooters are parked in various areas throughout the campus.
Planning ahead is the biggest way to beat the chaos when transporting to campus. Before heading out, I use Maps or an app called Moovit to navigate the estimated arrival if I take the bus or Uber. It is reliable, but it is ultimately up to you to plan ahead so that you make it to your classes on time. You can do it!
For more information about the transportation services on campus, visit the school website and click on the Parking and Transportation Services tab
