Students turn to feet, buses, bikes for transportation

Heather Sichi, sophomore interior design major, who doesn’t have a car on campus, gets around by walking. Sichi said high gas prices were a large factor in her decision to leave her car at home.

Credit: Ben Breier

Heather Sichi’s car hasn’t seen Kent State for awhile.

Sichi, a sophomore interior design major, is spending this year without her car on campus, and it’s killing her.

A transfer student from Bowling Green State University, Sichi moved to Kent State last spring. According to Sichi, the parking situation at the two universities is vastly different.

“Bowling Green has more meters on their campus, and parking lots were closer to the classrooms,” she said.

At Kent State last year, Sichi was able to park her car at the stadium but didn’t look forward to riding the bus just to pick up her vehicle.

“I rode the bus, but I always ended up leaving my car on campus during the weekends,” Sichi said.

This year, Sichi is seeing much less of the bus service.

“I don’t care for it much,” she said. “I never have anywhere to go on the bus this year.”

Sichi also said she doesn’t like waiting for the bus to take her to classes.

“I walk a lot now, but I don’t ride the bus,” she said.

For other students, like freshman exploratory major Matt Metzung, riding the bus is the only way to get to class.

“My bowling class is off campus, and riding the bus is the only way I can get there,” he said.

Metzung usually has to wait 15 minutes for a PARTA bus to come and take him to and from the bowling alley.

“At first, I was a little worried about riding, but then I met a kid in my class and we ride together,” he said.

Another option for students like Sichi who do not have a car is riding a bike. This semester, more bike racks have been installed around campus. Sichi mentioned that the campus is very biker friendly.

“The bikers don’t bother me at all,” she said. “If I had a bike, I would ride it everywhere – even off campus.”

Last semester, Sichi required her car in order to complete a project for one of her classes.

“It was such a hassle to go all the way out to the stadium each time I had to get things. The stadium is so far away,” she said.

Sichi wants her car with her so it is more convenient to travel home on the weekends.

“I live in the Cleveland suburbs,” she said. “It’s only 40 minutes away, but every time I want to go home, my dad has to come and get me.”

Technically a freshman because of credit hours, the only pass Sichi is eligible for this semester is at the stadium. But Sichi refused to park her car at the stadium again.

“I’m scared of the possible break-ins,” she said. “I don’t have a car with me this year, so I have to ask friends for rides.”

Another reason Sichi doesn’t have her car this semester is because of the high price of parking passes. Rosalba Heschelman, a parking services clerk, said passes available for students are $60 to $140 per academic year, the cheapest being a stadium pass at $35 per semester and $60 for the year.

“Passes are way too expensive for on campus,” Sichi said. For the lots students park at, Sichi said she believes the price of a parking pass isn’t worth the money.

This semester, Parking Services has sold out of stadium permits, leaving some students without a constant source of transportation and the comfort of a car.

For now, Sichi will just have to bum rides off of her friends.

Contact features reporter Abby Fisher at [email protected].