by Cortney Winston
Driving has long been the number one way to commute to campus. But the 2019 Transportation Survey reveals the first shift in years.
The survey was conducted by a third party contracted by the University. It was part of the U of A emissions tracking.
In 2014, 51% of off-campus students and 83% of faculty and staff drove to campus. Now, only 35% of students and 45% of faculty rely on their car.
Senior Caliee Dennis has driven a scooter since her freshman year. “I got a scooter and it’s easy. It’s cheap. It’s fun. Parking is easy, the parking passes are cheaper,” she said.
Freshman Riley Nadwodny chooses to ride the bus. “I don’t drive, because well, I found an apartment that had bus stops close to it, so I was like ‘why would I buy a pass when I could ride the bus every day?’,” he said.
Buses, bikes, scooters, and walking to campus are all popular options.
If the trend continues, driving to campus could be a thing of the past.