OSU, Corvallis transit options could be first step in student housing search

A+Corvallis+Transit+System+bus+on+route+5+in+Corvallis%2C+Ore.+on+Feb.+2.+CTS+Route+5+has+two+main+stretches+that+run+along+Kings+Boulevard+and+Monroe+Avenue%2C+servicing+the+northside+of+Oregon+State+University+and+the+Monroe+Avenue+businesses.

Jess Hume-Pantuso, Photographer

A Corvallis Transit System bus on route 5 in Corvallis, Ore. on Feb. 2. CTS Route 5 has two main stretches that run along Kings Boulevard and Monroe Avenue, servicing the northside of Oregon State University and the Monroe Avenue businesses.

AS OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

students begin looking for next year’s housing, a big question arises: How will they get to campus? Public transit might just be the solution.

OSU’s Sustainable Transportation Manager Sarah Bronstein said it is important for students to consider transportation to and from campus before signing any housing contracts.

“I think it is so important and really wise, when you’re thinking about where you are going to live, [to] also think about how it is that you are going to get to campus,” Bronstein said.

One popular option for transportation near and on campus is the Beaver Bus, a free transportation method for students to get around campus, with some routes reaching areas just off campus in Corvallis, Ore.

Theresa DiNobile, a fourth-year fashion design and management double major, utilized the Beaver Bus all four years at OSU to commute to and from campus for work, school and extracurriculars.

“For the most part, if you are living in the northwest area [of campus], either the northwest route or the west route is going to help the best,” DiNobile said. “The Beaver Bus is a really great option for people, don’t be scared to use it.”

DiNobile said she has heard of many students who do not use the Beaver Bus during their time at OSU and cannot imagine her college experience without it.

While the Beaver Bus is a great option for students living directly next to campus, many students are unable to find housing that close and must look further off campus for both their living and transportation needs.

Bronstein said the Beaver Bus is great, but there are other methods for students to use for transportation, such the Corvallis Transit System, which is also sustainable and free for everyone.

Both CTS and the Beaver Bus system have also experienced a smaller number of running routes this year due to a nationwide bus driver shortage, but Bronstein said they are hoping services can return to normal soon.

Second-year political science student Abril Uribe has taken full advantage of the CTS in her commute.

“I don’t use the Beaver Bus because my classes are usually close to each other,” Uribe said. “However, I often use the transit system to get from my house to campus and vice versa. Other times, I will use it to get downtown and go to work, which is on campus.”

Uribe noted that Route 1, serviced by CTS, has been the most helpful and safe for her as many other college students juse the same route in their commute.

“I would suggest looking at housing near or around bus stops,” Uribe said. “The transit system in Corvallis is free, which makes it very convenient, especially when you’re trying to save up money for other things.”

There have also been recent updates within the Corvallis Transit System because of a close relationship with Oregon State University, according to Tim Bates, the CTS transit coordinator.

“[The new transit app] will show an entire map plus it has real-time arrivals, not just predicted arrivals, but actually where the bus is at all times, and you can sign up for texting to a particular stop so it can let you know where that bus is relative to that stop,” Bates said.

Bates recommended students who are unfamiliar with navigating public transit plan their first transit trip on a weekend when there are often fewer travelers and less stressors. He also recommended speaking with the driver before or after the trip for any specific concerns or questions.

According to Bates and Bronstein, CTS reaches all parts of the city, connecting students from all around to campus without having to pay a dime.

Corvallis Transit System services have also expanded beyond the regular class time to include a night owl bus route running Thursday through Sunday night, 8:45 p.m. to 2:45 a.m.

For students looking for their next place to live, Bates and Bronstein urge them to take full advantage of the free resources available in Corvallis to make their trip to campus as easy and accessible as possible.

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