Gas hike forces driver to get creative

With gas prices climbing, some students have been forced to find alternative routes to school.

Public transit, bikes and carpooling are the most appealing options for students, or maybe picking up those extra hours at work. And with there being only 1,690 parking spots for students and staff, it’s where the early bird is going to be the ones with the less headache when it comes too parking.

According to a survey of 50 students done on May 17, 78 percent of students said they drive a car to school everyday. Two percent of the students ride a bike to school, two percent ride a motorcycle, 14 percent ride the bus, and four percent walk.  Despite higher gas prices, the survey also found that most students went from riding the bus to driving a car. However, 34 percent of the students surveyed, carpool. Carpooling seemed to be the most significant change in student transportation.

Most students had to make some sort of change or sacrifice in order to pay of increased gas expenses. Some students had to get a higher paying jobs or work more hours at work. One person wrote on their survey “I have to work more hours and that is affecting my schooling.” Other students started carpooling more, making less recreational purchases, and making a greater effort to combine trips. Another student wrote, “I don’t have the option of driving all the places I’d like to go.”

The survey also said that students’ main expense was food, with gas prices as a close second.

Higher gas prices are also having an adverse effect on students’ budgets as well as the school’s budget, according to Michael Kerns, executive vice president of Everett Community College.  “Our main concern is the effect on students,” he said.  “A lot of them are on a limited budget, and the added cost of gas can potentially be a real burden.”

To help offset these costs, the school is increasing the emphasis on promoting alternative transportation, and working directly with Everett Transit, Community Transit and Sound Transit to make transportation services more accessible and convenient.  There are now plans underway to build a large transit center across from Shuksan Hall, complete with a ticket booth and schedules posted with departure times.  The school is also working with Sound Transit to build a covered bike station for students who bicycle to school, or to encourage those who may be considering it as an alternative to driving. 

According to Kerns, the gas budget for the school’s security vehicles (as well as any vehicles such as rental vans used by the school) is currently about $15,000 per year, so gas price increases do not significantly impact the school’s operating budget.

However, increases in the costs of new building projects are a big concern, especially transportation and shipping costs.  The school is trying to offset these additional costs by resource conservation efforts such as using energy efficient lights, recycling, compacting waste and upgrading old equipment.  In addition, Snohomish County Public Utility District gives the school grants and refunds for it’s ongoing conservation efforts and investments.