JagBytes

Issue date: 10/24/07 Section: College News

Media Credit: Denis Jimenez John Stoddard, a graduate student in business recently bought a Volkswagen Rabbit which compared to his Jeep Cherokee is considerably more fuel efficient.

Since many IUPUI students commute to campus, transportation issues and gasoline prices affect the learning community and add to budget woes.

"Commuting takes travel time and automobiles cost money to operate thus putting financial pressure on students, neither of which helps students succeed in their studies," said IUPUI Chancellor Charles Bantz in an e-mail interview.

The chancellor's words have a ring of truth for students like Rachel Messenger. Like many college students, Messenger spends most of her time Monday through Friday either in school or at work. As a graduate student at Indiana University, with a job as Campus Center graduate student manager at IUPUI, she commutes between Bloomington and downtown Indianapolis.

Five days a week, Messenger travels more than 100 miles to and from her job, and because of high gas prices, she has started carpooling with another person from one of her classes.

"I started carpooling last fall when I started grad school because we lived and worked in Indy, but wanted to take classes in Bloomington," Messenger says. "There were a few of us in the same situation, so it made the most sense to coordinate our schedules and to car pool."

Messenger now lives in Bloomington. If she did not carpool, she would be spending more than $60 a week on gas.

She also saves money by finding the least expensive gas pumps between Bloomington and Indianapolis.

Struggling to find the best gasoline prices has become part of a national trend.

In a May 2007 Gallup Poll, 18 percent of Americans said gas prices have created a hardship for their families. An additional 49 percent said gas prices forced them to adjust spending habits significantly. Only about one in three Americans said gas prices have not had much impact on their financial situation.

Since IUPUI is a commuter campus, students are at the mercy of fluctuating gas prices. According to the Office of the Registrar, about 64 percent of students reside in Marion County. The remaining 36 percent make longer commutes. Most of these students live in the seven counties surrounding Marion County.

Vice Chancellor for Student Life Karen Whitney says 96 percent of IUPUI students drive a car to campus and, in a survey taken at freshman orientation this year, 70 percent of incoming freshman who responded indicated they would be driving to campus.

The University population is made up of students from all over central Indiana, with many making commutes of more than 45 miles from cities such as Crawfordsville and Kokomo.

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