By Rob Metzler

The 2005 fall semester marks the second term that Buffalo State College students have the chance to get a free ride to school. The question is, why aren’t they?

Wrapped in the $92.50 activity fee is a Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority bus pass for $22.50, a deal worked out between United Students Government and NFTA. The contract, which is up for renewal at the end of May 2006, enables every BSC student to get a free ride to and from school, instead of fighting for one of the 2,262 parking spots available to 6,154 students with parking passes. While student participation in the program is lacking with only 3,387 bus passes being picked up, more and more students are starting to see the benefits of public transportation.

Doug Hartmayer, director of public affairs for NFTA, says the program is picking up on all four campuses it is offered on:

• Medaille
• Bryant and Stratton
• Canisius
• Buffalo State College

“More and more students are starting to take advantage of the program, especially because of the high gas prices” stated Hartmayer, “We’ve received good feedback from all the campuses involved.” He feels that the program “alleviates parking and provides safe and reliable transportation to and from campus.”

Tim Ecklund, associate vice president of residence life, agrees that high gas prices have been a leading factor in the increased involvement in the program, although the official numbers are not yet available.

Students are finding the program helpful. Andrew Campana, a sophomore, lives in Tonawanda and takes the bus every day.

  “I think the more people are aware of it, the more use it will get,” Campana said He is accompanied by a handful of students everyday on the bus, and has been using public transportation even before the program started.

Other students are using alternative methods of getting to class. Ryan Fulton, a transfer student from El Paso, Tx., rides his bike to campus. He looks at his efforts as a “conscience decision to help with the earth” that “has nothing to do with the political situation.” He went on to say “people in other countries don’t even have access to a bike” and even though he has a bus pass, he plans to keep biking the two-and-a-half-miles to campus as long as possible.

Rob Metzler can be reached at Metzrj68@mail.buffalostate.edu