So YOU called the van shuttle service or did he make this original plan? Aw, never mind, no matter. All done
I think you have to acknowledge the twin factors of time and expense. They were brought up several times in this thread. Most people consider them when making travel plans.
Sometimes, it might be, but this is a low-stress period and his schedule allows some options. As an athlete, he can work it off in his sport.
JustOneDad: Your thread was distracting and entertaining to me, so thanks, but here is the thing. Frequently on this board parents ask for advice on the best way to get a kid from point A to point B. Sometimes this is going on in real time, as in the case of travel during storms. Posters here are incredibly helpful in these circumstances. So it isn’t surprising when you pose the question, posters respond to the question in the way they did. imho.
That was not the point of your question. I am still not clear what the point was. At first I thought it was a time vs money argument, but you already knew that wasn’t an issue in this case when you posed the question, since your son saved money and time. If the point was didactic, to teach us something, I am failing to understand the lesson. I would be interested if you wanted to explain. You will have to make the explanation very simple for me to understand.
Regardless, I am enjoying your posts here and elsewhere.
I simply thought it was an interesting question. I found the discussion on various aspects quite informative. Cost, time, safety and security, stress, physical effort, planning and financial responsibility all seemed to play a part.
However, I was most struck by the number of people who felt it was important to GIVE their kid something, well, luxurious, for lack of a better word.
It was also interesting how many people assumed that I was in control despite the fact the kid is 18, going to college and is in charge of his own financial details. Maybe that’s why parents like to put themselves in a position to hold the pursestrings so tightly, huh? If the kid was more independent, it might be too uncomfortable for them.
Hey at least I didn’t assume anything. I knew it was a trick question. 
Trick question?
It wasn’t a trick question in any way. I don’t get it.
Do you mean as in “I simply didn’t know what to do and needed “help” from the Internet”?
You didn’t provide the exact location which makes solving this issue real. You left it vague.
The exact location wasn’t used so it would be more broadly applicable.
The supercilious and condescending tone that implies readers here need to be “taught” something seems to be one of the things that is irking many posters. Maybe its worth considering that not everyone here is an idiot and needs a lesson in fiscal responsibility vs convenience.
And bottom line, FWIW, especially at smaller airports, the kids spot other kids with bags, ask if they are heading to XYZ college and grab a cab or call uber. Done. And many colleges have shuttle services from the airports to the colleges. This seems to be much ado about nothing.
I think you could learn a lesson or two about the emotional side of this. Did you really just send your freshman kid off and not consider accompanying him for the drop off at college? As far as I can tell, you gave no thought to how that feels to a kid when pretty much every other parent has their family there. Even if they took public transit, they had another set of hands to help handle luggage, set up the dorm room, run out for needed supplies, etc. A lot of the reasoning behind paying for the shuttle is that you have set your kid up for a stressful experience to start with by not accompanying them. How about doing what you can to ease the transportation side so at least he isn’t stressed from wrassling his stuff around by himself through multiple transportation modes? I think it is a great lesson for a kid AFTER the initial college dropoff – he will have 5-6 opportunities/year to take the cheaper option when traveling to & from home throughout his four years. But I wouldn’t do it to my kid on their first trip to college with all of their stuff, and I think most other posters wouldn’t either.
I think it would have been better to just tell everyone up front what your son had done instead posting like there was a decision to be made. Then if people wanted post a response that’s great. Maybe you could have put it in the bragging thread instead or the why is this a thread thread. Instead you have people myself included that thought this was a decision that still had to be made and that you wanted to know what we thought.
Time is important but not relative to another traveler or student. It’s not a race. No one cares which freshman gets to campus first.
“However, I was most struck by the number of people who felt it was important to GIVE their kid something, well, luxurious, for lack of a better word.”
It’s not “important” that I give my kids nice things and treats. See, I want to. I enjoy it.
This was a pointless thread.
I figure the kid preferred to do freshman drop off alone anyway.
Can you blame him or her?
MODERATOR’S NOTE:
I do believe the usefulness of this thread has come to an end. Closing.