Gas prices hit college students where it hurts
By Kyle Charland

For most college students, the highest recorded average gas price of $4.11 is a not-so-distant memory. Fuel prices continue to be a burden on most of America, but they seem to be taking an exceptional toll on college students.

Increasingly, students are switching to alternative methods of transportation, whether it be carpooling or riding a bike to save on fuel prices.

“It came to a point where it wasn’t worth the cost,” explained Michael Mezo, a CMU sophomore. “I live about two miles from campus, but it started adding up because I was driving to campus 3 times a day. It ended up costing me like $30 to $40 a week.”

These days, buying a used bike to save on gas is not unusual. Online auction sites such as eBay provide affordable prices and access to a huge selection.

“I’ve wanted to get into shape for a while now, so I took the opportunity to buy a used bike off of eBay for $40, and I ride that to class now,” said Mezo. “Not only has it saved me money, but it saved me time too. Now I don’t have to search for a parking spot for 20 minutes.”

Some students are simply choosing to walk to classes.

“I was going to buy a parking pass at the beginning of the school year, but I decided against it because of how expensive gas was,” said Allison Armstrong, a CMU junior. “If I don’t take the bus to school, I walk. The good thing about CMU is that everything is walking distance. It surprises me that more students don’t take advantage of our small campus.”

Even though the price of gas is currently falling, alternative methods of transportation are expected to continue to gain popularity.

“I don’t mind walking,” explained Armstrong. “I’m not only saving the environment, I’m saving myself a lot of money.”