Cost-effective options include shuttles, car, bike rentals.

Many students at Oregon State University do not have cars. For these individuals, the university offers other means of transportation.

The Beaver Bus on-campus shuttle operates from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. It runs five different loops around OSU campus, according to Sarah Bronstein, the OSU transportation options supervisor.

“It does not have a set schedule and runs constantly all day,” Bronstein said. “They can just go and not dwell at a stop.”

Matthew Lee, a third-year biohealth sciences student at OSU, is a regular rider of the Beaver Bus.

“I think it is very convenient. The rotation times usually come around faster than you think and they move fast too,” Lee said in an email. “I remember back when I never used these rides, I thought it’d be a little weird mainly because I walked everywhere but I found that I liked using these rides, especially with the Beaver Bus, if I’m going to class.”

Another transportation option for getting around campus and the city is Pedal

Corvallis, Bronstein said.

“There are eight stations throughout the city; two of them can be found on campus,” Bronstein said. “It’s very affordable. A membership is twenty-five dollars a year, and for a weekend it only costs five dollars.”

The two spots on campus that these bikes can be found are the Kerr administration building and on Monroe Avenue near Weniger Hall, Bronstein said. After a pass is purchased, individuals can check out the bike for two hours at a time.

“You can check out and return it, then immediately check out another bike,” Bronstein said. “The bikes have lights on them and are powered by generating hubs.”

Bronstein said a third source of transportation on campus is Zipcar, which is for students who may not have a vehicle at their disposal.

“There are four to five Zipcars that are available to members to take out on trips,” Bronstein said. “It is deeply discounted for OSU students. A yearly membership is only $15 for students.”

Zipcars are easily accessible on the OSU campus and have their own designated parking spots, Bronstein said.

“You pay for as much driving as you use,” Bronstein said.

For students looking for transportation in the evenings and night, SafeRide, which runs through the Associated Students of OSU, is another option, Bronstein said. SafeRide is a transportation service for students to get from a location to their residence, but not commerical locations.

“It operates seven days a week,” Bronstein said. “No questions asked and gives students a safe ride home.”

Kyle Patubo, a SafeRide driver, was first introduced to the service at Fred Meyers Night during Welcome Week in the fall 2017 term. After using SafeRide a few times, he decided to become a SafeRide driver himself.

“I love Safe Ride,” Patubo said. “It’s really fun driving around people and picking up real cool people. It’s fun talking to passengers.”

Sayeeda Sieah, SafeRide assistant manager of outreach, said that the program operates differently. compared to other universities or programs.

“Unlike many other schools we operate every night except when the school is closed. We allow students an unlimited amount of rides per night, we pick up anywhere in/outside the city of Corvallis and we pay our drivers,” Sieah said in an email.

SafeRide can have long wait times on some days, according to Sieah.

“There are many factors that go into why a van is either late or has a long wait time. Some of them include if the van was involved in an accident, somebody became sick in the van and our drivers had to stop service to clean, problems or complications with current riders, the drivers are on their break, and/or just a busy night,” Sieah said via email.

SafeRide works to accommodate as many students as possible, regardless of disabilities, identities and access, Sieah said.

“SafeRide allows students to have an alternative, judgement-free ride home free of cost for as many times needed throughout the school year,” Sieah said via email.

Sieah said that there are several difficulties students face that make the university providing transportation a necessity.

“The cost and demand of having a personal vehicle in college is extremely limited for students, which makes the need for transportation services highly valuable,” Sieah said in an email. “Corvallis is also a wet city with a lot of rain so transportation is not only important, but a must for students and

civilians in Corvallis.”