2008 Woodie Awards
A different way to move
SIUE community finds other ways to get around campus, town as gas prices climb
Kenneth Long
Issue date: 7/2/08 Section: News
Emeritus physics professor P.N. Swamy used to drive to work every morning at SIUE.
A few weeks ago, Swamy said he tried using Madison County Transit's bus system to get to campus.
"I can afford to drive myself, but it's foolish not to use the buses," Swamy said.
Swamy is one of many who have stopped relying solely on cars and have started using alternate modes of transportation like buses, bicycles, scooters and other gasoline-saving vehicles.
MCT Director of Marketing and Planning S.J. Morrison said the number of bus riders has increased 25 percent since last June.
"The numbers are unprecedented," Morrison said. "We haven't seen these kind of increases before."
Swamy said the route he takes from downtown Edwardsville is very crowded.
"I'm sure there will be even more (people) in the future because of fuel prices," Swamy said.
Morrison said MCT had recently been overwhelmed with responses from new riders via e-mail and phone calls about schedules and different routes.
"The Metrolink and St. Louis routes have standees on almost every trip," Morrison said. "We're trying to focus our attention on areas with extreme increased ridership and where we should increase service."
Swamy said he was impressed with the bus service so much that he sent a mass e-mail to many faculty stating how happy he was with the buses.
"I believe there are plenty of buses throughout the cities of Madison County for those who want to curtail fuel consumption, including retired people like me," Swamy said in the letter. "Why didn't I know about this earlier?"
While buses might seem like the most obvious form of alternate transportation to cars, other less conventional options are being used. Senior history major Scot Kerns' foot gets more work on his Razor scooter than on the gas pedal.
"A ten-minute walk through campus has become a two or three minute trip," Kerns said. "Walking is for the birds."
Kerns is attending SIUE for the summer semester and then will transfer back to Concordia University in Chicago. Kerns said public transportation might have advantages there, but he has some qualms with using it.
A few weeks ago, Swamy said he tried using Madison County Transit's bus system to get to campus.
"I can afford to drive myself, but it's foolish not to use the buses," Swamy said.
Swamy is one of many who have stopped relying solely on cars and have started using alternate modes of transportation like buses, bicycles, scooters and other gasoline-saving vehicles.
MCT Director of Marketing and Planning S.J. Morrison said the number of bus riders has increased 25 percent since last June.
"The numbers are unprecedented," Morrison said. "We haven't seen these kind of increases before."
Swamy said the route he takes from downtown Edwardsville is very crowded.
"I'm sure there will be even more (people) in the future because of fuel prices," Swamy said.
Morrison said MCT had recently been overwhelmed with responses from new riders via e-mail and phone calls about schedules and different routes.
"The Metrolink and St. Louis routes have standees on almost every trip," Morrison said. "We're trying to focus our attention on areas with extreme increased ridership and where we should increase service."
Swamy said he was impressed with the bus service so much that he sent a mass e-mail to many faculty stating how happy he was with the buses.
"I believe there are plenty of buses throughout the cities of Madison County for those who want to curtail fuel consumption, including retired people like me," Swamy said in the letter. "Why didn't I know about this earlier?"
While buses might seem like the most obvious form of alternate transportation to cars, other less conventional options are being used. Senior history major Scot Kerns' foot gets more work on his Razor scooter than on the gas pedal.
"A ten-minute walk through campus has become a two or three minute trip," Kerns said. "Walking is for the birds."
Kerns is attending SIUE for the summer semester and then will transfer back to Concordia University in Chicago. Kerns said public transportation might have advantages there, but he has some qualms with using it.
Be the first to comment on this story