<p>Freshman s did not get a permit in the fall so he didn’t take his van, but has now been moved up the list and offered a permit. He wasn’t dying to take it with him anyway and said it seemed like a hassle unless you could park right by the dorm–which isn’t a permit freshman can usually get. Anyway, he’s asked if he could take the van now, and I don’t have a problem with it, but I’d like to hear the pros and cons from those of you who have some experience with it. I can see some potential problems, but I have also worried about the van sitting there without being driven. I try to remember to start it occasionally–but I don’t. My husband will drive it once in awhile. Thoughts please?</p>
<p>Mine does. We live in a rural area with no public transportation within the town and no public transportation between towns. Her school is in a town without public transportation but the school does provide a little bus that goes on certain routes. She lives off campus but near enough to walk to school. However no grocery store within walking distance. Also she has an off campus WS job that she has to drive to 3 times a week. Without a car I guess she could get a taxi there and back.</p>
<p>I would say it depends on the type of town the school is located in. I didn’t even learn to drive until my late 20s as I lived near London and public transportation is excellent and a car was more a hassle than anything. Where I live now I would have a hard time without a car. My daughter could manage without a car but it would mean a lot of depending on someone else with a car and/or paying for taxis. Now if she was in school in a big city it would be different.</p>
<p>One with, one without. Neither really needs one, but it doesn’t cost us more either way so …</p>
<p>Yes, my two S’s have their trucks at college. </p>
<p>The downside is that they can become taxi drivers for friends who don’t have cars. Both of mine have complained of people always asking them for rides here and there. If anyone thinks their carless kid is not catching rides with others (at least once in awhile) who have cars, you’re most likely wrong no matter what they say. It can get sticky between friends.
They can waste time/gas out driving around to places that aren’t necessary trips but just fun to get out and go to. </p>
<p>The upside is that (in my kids’ case) they can drive themselves back and forth home (from different in-state u’s three and four hours away), can drive to part-time off campus job, can drive themselves to Dr. if need be (S1 has had to do this quite a few times in his four years), can drive themselves to gro.store/Wal-Mart for provisions and supplies.</p>
<p>The trucks would be a big nuisance in our small driveway.</p>
<p>No, but there’s no place to park a vehicle and it’s a 24 hour drive to his college. Both college son and oldest live in cities with great public transportation.</p>
<p>Well, I was kind of thinking that he’ll probably be spending more money–not just on gas but on restaurants and movies that he might not have gone to if he hadn’t had the easy transportation. I know he bums rides because when I offered to come down and take him to the eye doctor he said he could get a ride. He’s only a couple of hours away but it would be nice if he drove himself home. There isn’t room in our driveway for the van so it’s parked on the street–which might be a problem if we get six inches of snow this week. 
Do you have rules that if they’re leaving the college town they have to let you know? I just don’t want to get a surprise phone call that says,“Hey, my van broke down in Chicago.”</p>
<p>Both are living on urban campuses with either subways or buses readily available, so no cars for them. They do a LOT of walking (and in the case of D in Seattle, mostly uphill!).</p>
<p>No cars for my 3 far, far away in college.</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>S1 did not have a car at school since he was at an urban school where parking was a nightmare. D is now at the same school, so she will most likely never have a car at school. S2, however, goes to a suburban school and this year we let him take the kids’ car back to school. He lives off campus and it makes things like grocery shopping that much easier.</p>
<p>my s is at IU so it’s not an urban environment and there is good bus service–though I don’t think he uses it. If he were off campus it would be much better for him to have it, but he’s already made plans to be in the dorm again next year.</p>
<p>Neither had cars as undergrads. Both in urban areas…excellent public transport in one, fair public transport in the other. Grad school son has a car. </p>
<p>To be honest, when they were in undergrad school it was just too costly for them to have a car at school…and luckily neither needed one. Both lived off campus and walked past the grocery store to get home.</p>
<p>DS is at an urban campus, no car. DD will take hers in the fall. It is more rural and she will be doing some off campus work. The car is paid for and her car so no harm to us for her to take it. She will need to pay the gas, insurance, registration, upkeep herself, same as at home.
One thing: we are in the process of looking at roadside assistance and I have told her that she will have some sessions with Dad on car upkeep. She will be four hours away and not close by where we can keep an eye on upkeep and she can call us if she has car troubles.</p>
<p>Is the student living on or off campus? Does the student have an off-campus job - or plan to get one? These are 2 major factors that may render a car necessary in rural areas or small towns & suburbs where public transportation is not all that great.</p>
<p>No Car, lives on-campus and is a Jr this year with a heavy courseload including late-night study groups. Campus is pretty much self-contained so no real need to leave it. Plus, student has no real experience of driving in the ice and snow at this point not to mention that the parking is quite the hike! And, just how long might that car sit there is single digit weather w/o being started. I’m sure a mechanic would have to be called alot! Then there is the issue of liability with regards to other students and driving them around, not to mention the temptation of “loaning” the car. No car for student at campus; just does not need it!! Cab service is great when needed…</p>
<p>I go to school in a city that has some public transportation, but I have a vehicle on campus. I’ve ridden the shuttle provided by the school a few times, but never the buses that the city runs. I have to have a vehicle on campus because I have to go offcampus to a high school that is out of the city limits for my clinical assignment this spring. That means driving about 20 minutes each way 4-6 days per week…</p>
<p>D has her car up at school when the weather is nice, Spring and Fall. We pay for everything except for gas. We have an agreement she is not to take it on any road trip (outside of her college town) and she is not to let anyone drive it. It is convenient for her to go to work and to get off campus every once in a while. It also saves us from getting her to/from school.</p>
<p>When I was in school, I didn’t have a car as a Freshman since I lived on campus and my folks didn’t want me driving in LA. As a sophomore I got one since I moved into an apartment and needed to have a car for groceries and such. I also lived 200 miles from home, so I used the car to drive home at the holidays (I hated taking the train).</p>
<p>I do agree, that if you have a car you end up being a taxi, but I guess it’s a good way to make friends.</p>
<p>D has car so she can drive back/forth from home to her college. On weekend, she takes the bus with her friends to go shopping. It’s more fun that way. She has no plan to drive anybody in her car.</p>
<p>No, my son is on the other side of the country. There is great public transportation there, which really helps.</p>
<p>No car. First two years, lived on campus. Third year, lives close enough to campus, job, and grocery store to walk or ride bike (by design). Apartment only has two parking spots (for four rooms), so apartment mates are happy he doesn’t want a car. His college (state-U) is only an hour away and there are always choices for getting home on holidays. </p>
<p>In addition, he doesn’t have a car to take. He had use of an old car (1996) while in high school, but it was not his car. Use of that car has now been given to his brother, who is a senior in high school. When home for holidays, he has to ask brother’s permission to use the car. Having no car at home has been harder than no car at school because we live in a suburban area without public transportation. </p>
<p>S2 does not expect to take a car to school as a freshman. He won’t need a car as the campus and town have excellent public transportation. If he wants one after he moves off campus, he would need to buy a car with his own money and I don’t think he has enough money saved up to do that and also cover his share of college costs.</p>