Do you know the average time that school and college students spend on commute? It is 10 hours every week! Imagine wasting 10 hours every week doing nothing but jostling through crowds, waiting for the bus or looking for a convenient parking spot. Moreover, it isn’t just about the time, but also about the colossal waste of energy. By the time students reach the class, they are already worn down.

Education is already a challenging path. Added to the list are roadblocks like covering impossible distance, a lack of public transportation, etc., which makes the journey even cumbersome. Transportation is a factor that leads to academic success and well-being, thus making it imperative to ensure each student gets to class on time minus the hurdles.

In what follows, you will find an overview of the most common yet overlooked transportation woes for students. Alongside, I have given some suggestions that make the road a bit smoother for you.

7 Problems in School/College Transportation

Here are just a few of the obstacles you have to encounter to get to class. Read on and beware!

Problem 1: Not having a car

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s NCES, most undergraduate students do not stay on campus. As a result, they have to reach the school or college campus all by themselves. While the lucky ones who stay close by can walk to school, things become challenging for some who do not have personal cars. Without a private vehicle, reaching your class can become a massive problem when your school isn’t on the main route.

• Solution: What would you do if you need assignment help? You would have had asked your sibling, parents or a friend. In this case, do the same andask your family members if anyone is headed towards your school or college. You can even consider asking someone from your neighborhood for help, someone you know travels on the same route. Even if that person cannot drop you right at the gate, you can certainly reach a landmark closer to school wherefrom you can walk.

Problem 2: A lack of public transportation

A handful of cities like Minnesota, Seattle, and Washington have a clear public transportation route that offers affordable and reliable commutation. But what do you do if you do not live in any of these cities? In most cities in the U.S., traffic congestion and impunctuality are significant factors. This will make it challenging for you to reach to school on time.

• Solution:If you have the option, choose to live on campus. While on-campus fees might be a little higher, it will be financially feasible in the long run when you consider standard conveyance charges. Moreover, living on campus would mean waking up late, having more time to work on essay typer, which will help you up your academic performance.

Problem 3: Expensive parking permits

Even when you have a car, the costs can double up when you have to spend on gas and dish out money for an expensive parking lot bill. For example, if you plan to go to the University of Alabama, you may have to pay $75 for a motorcycle permit and $630 to get a permanent reserve card to park in all zones on campus. Following suit is the Northern Arizona University, where you may have to pay $650 each year for parking. That would make surviving on your shoestring budget even harder.

• Solution: You can consider carpooling with classmates or seniors living in the same area or on the college route on the same day. This way, you will get to help those who do not have a car to reach school. Plus, you can ask them to split the gas money so that the parking fee doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket. If you cannot find anyone to carpool with, you can talk to the school or college authorities to help you with a carpool program.

Problem 4: Unavailability of parking space

Imagine you have a car, and the parking fee is affordable too! But your school does not have enough parking space available. In that case, you might have to park your car in a public parking lot miles away from your school. That gets you back to square one. It gets even more harrowing during times of rough weather. Moreover, most schools in the U.S. have limited parking space. Due to the first-come-first-serve basis, there is no assurance that you will find a parking spot by the time you reach home.

• Solution: If you are searching for parking space near your school or college, look up for your school or college website for apps designed to find parking rental spaces. For example, the University of Nevada has an app called Instally for the purpose. You can also use the Parkmobile app (only if your school or college is a part of the program) to find a space and pay for it online.

Problem 5: Strict parking restrictions at your school or college

The fight for a spot in the class isn’t the only one you have to prepare. If you plan on getting through Princeton University as an undergraduate, you must be aware that you will not be allowed to bring your car on campus. There are restricted guidelines and the prerogative to grant you a parking pass rests entirely with the authorities. Other than Princeton, several other colleges also restrict issuing parking permits to those who have significant reasons.

Solution: If you have a car and yet cannot bring it to college, you can use ridesharing services like Lyft or Uber to get to school. You can even locate random people bound towards your school or college and hitch rides. You can even gather your best friends for the ride to split the cost. Plus, that would eliminate the risk of riding with a stranger too. If these seem unfeasible, you can get the student government involved to start a petition for introducing more transportation options.

Problem 6: Rural and distant campuses

If your school or college is amid woodlands and farms, and away from the hustle-bustle of the city life, reaching to class can be even more difficult. Can you even imagine the time you will have to spend on commuting to school? Even if you have a car, you will spend quite the fortune on gas and car maintenance every month. Moreover, there might be parking issues in an undeveloped area. Even if you think ecologically, the school or college authorities might not encourage bringing the fuel combustion that comes complimentary with cars and bikes.

• Solution: The best way to cut down the distance is to sign up for online courses in the college. Several colleges offer online educational programs – full and partial – due to their rural location. For fully online programs, you may never have to set foot on campus ever, thus saving thousands of dollars that would have gone in transportation and parking. Even if you choose a partially online program, you would have to go to school for a few days. That way, you can share a ride or opt for a cheaper parking option.

Problem 7: Schools actively discouraging cars on campus

With the earth suffering from our lifestyle choices, several schools and colleges have taken up the mantel to let the planet breathe a little easy. Several schools have stopped issuing parking permits altogether to reduce pollution and traffic congestion. Many are now taking steps to discourage students from bringing their cars to school. For example, if you plan to attend the University of New England in Maine, you may have to pay $90 to $300 for a parking permit.

• Solution:While this will depend on the distance to the campus, you can ride a bike to do your share in helping the earth heal. When you choose to bike, you will be able to move to and from your school as per your choice and not depend on public transportation or someone for a ride. Moreover, a bike will let you access shortcuts and the less congested bike lanes.

Parting thoughts,

Rough commutes can affect your sleep and exercise. So, every additional minute of transportation means a reduction of 1.3-minute in your sleep cycle. Moreover, reaching school on time is imperative to attend all classes. If you want to combat these serious transportation issues, use the solutions suggested to ‘parkour’ your way through.

All the best!

Author Bio: Kevin Elling has a PhD in Education Science and is an educator in a reputed college in California, the U.S. He is also associated with the academic portal Myassignmenthelp.com as a tutor who offers homework help online. In his free time, Kevin loves to go on hikes and read.