August 29, 2017
Quinita Thomas
When I lived on the East Coast, public transportation was essential to me and thousands of
pedestrians. People relied on public transportation, but that didn’t mean that everyone had access to it.
In Colorado Springs, UCCS students have the option to ride the bus through Mountain Metro Transit, which serves as Colorado Springs’ public transportation system, for free by using their student ID. Mountain Metro can take students and other residents to various parts of town, along with Manitou Springs and Widefield.
While Mountain Metro is a good transportation option for those who want to travel around town, some students, like those who live in the dorms, may not have cars or may not want to take the bus.
If you want to go somewhere off campus, chances are that you will take the bus and walk the rest of the way to your destination. But the city bus isn’t the only transportation option available for students.
Uber, a transportation app that connects passengers with a driver who provides their own car, is a quicker alternative to taking the city bus or the shuttle, whether they are just riding or want to socialize in a different way
Since 2014, apps like Lyft and Uber, which are compatible with both Apple and Android phones, have sought to relieve the stress of getting to where you need to be by offering cheaper prices and fewer wait times.
In Denver, for example, a five-mile trip costs $10.35, in comparison to a taxi, which costs $13.75 for the same distance, according to Business Insider.
Say you get out of class at 5 p.m., and you don’t want to eat dinner on campus. Get an Uber and go through the drive-thru, or grab some friends and head to a restaurant. You can split the fare between you and your friends as well.
I’ve had some negative experiences with taxis; often times, they will take the longer route to earn extra cash, whereas Uber drivers have to follow a navigation system on the Uber app.
I have been using Uber for three years, and I find it convenient, especially since I live off-campus. In the wintertime, Uber can be safer than the city bus, because you may have to wait less in the snow.
Like myself, a lot of college students do not have the patience to deal with owning a vehicle or waiting for the bus, whether they live on campus or not.
Uber gets me from door-to-door, where I have to walk to the bus stop, get on and walk the rest of the way to the destination after I get off the bus.
The hassle-free nature of the service allows students to do research before they get in the car, which is safer than hailing a taxi.
Customers know how much they are paying before their driver arrives to pick them up, and prices depend on the distance of the trip.
Customers can also get the driver’s name, their rating and license plate number and a picture of the car before they get in. There are opportunities to provide feedback on drivers as well by rating them after the ride.
The app is a good service to use, whether you want to get off campus and experience the city, or take some time to get away from campus.
So whether or not you want to broaden your horizons or get away from school, Uber is the best alternative. Consider downloading the app and buckling up.