Is a car necessary?

jax90291
Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:54:01 +0000

what are you talking about? ive read more uninformed posts on here in the last two days than i have in the last year. the OP is asking about the uiuc campus in particular. we don’t have a subway, and taxis are sparsely taken around campus area. please ignore the above post. i am constantly shocked on this board how often people think they have credible opinions when they have no information or facts to back it up.

an opinion from someone that actually goes to school here:

the CUMTD bus system is very good and free to all students. the most popular route, the 22 illini, will take you most places you need to go around campus and comes basically every 10 minutes. you are likely to live near a place where it stops as well. other lines will take you anywhere else in the C-U area. basically, for local traveling, you really don’t need a car, and in the end it becomes a hassle to have to find parking at different locations because most lots around campus are permit parking.

also, unless you contract a parking spot with a property management company (which is very doable, but somewhat difficult if you don’t live here), you will have to park your car in parking lot e-14, which is pretty inconveniently located just west of assembly hall (you can map it if you like). there are buses that run to the parking lot pretty regularly though, but to have to take a bus to get to your car is kind of annoying.

however, i decided to bring my car to school so i could drive home now and then. driving home is usually cheaper than taking the bus home, plus you have the major convenience of running on your own schedule. also, if you drive other people, you can split the gas money and save a lot on your own traveling expense. although next year you will want to consider where gas prices are at, since they are currently on the rise.