“Let’s go somewhere!” “There’s this off-campus event in Wayne.” “Hey, this festival thing is happening in Philly..”
Just a few of the many dreaded sentences I would hear during my first three years of college, not because I am anti-social, but it would always inevitably bring up the question “how are we getting there?” As a rising senior who did not always have her own car as a transportation option, getting places was always slightly more difficult then it should have or could have been.
But, if there’s a will, there’s a way, right?
And there certainly there was a will.
If you do not have a car as a mode of transportation in college, you can often find different ways to do things off campus, especially on a college budget.
The first way is the Cabrini Shuttle. It is run by the Public Safety Department and runs seven days a week from early in the morning into the night. It is free for all students and takes you to different places around the Wayne/Radnor/King of Prussia area such as the King of Prussia Mall, Walmart, Target, the Wawa on Lancaster Ave., and most importantly, the Radnor and Norristown SEPTA train stations.
As someone who takes the SEPTA train to go home to New Jersey during breaks and on some weekends, taking the shuttle was always the best option as it allowed me to get to the station without spending more than the price of a train ticket.
If the shuttle is not running, or the schedule does not fit into what you are looking to do, there is also ridesharing options such as Uber and Lyft. Both apps are relatively inexpensive and there are always at least two to three drivers in the area ready to come to pick you up! One time I had a driver pick up three different students at the same time!
Ubering into town or to the train station is not as inexpensive as the free shuttle, but if you need to get somewhere, or are going out somewhere the shuttle does not go, Ubering or using Lyft is the best way to go. Most drivers know the area pretty well and are often professional and really helpful. Just remember to always check that the licenses late matches the one on your app before getting into any Uber or Lyft!
Another option is to make friends with other students who potentially have cars or are willing to split fares with you. It makes life so much easier and spares your bank account by a couple of dollars for every trip.
While it may be easier to have a car on campus, there are various, inexpensive ways to get around that do not involve the costs a car would, such as money for gas, insurance payments, parking costs, and car payments.
So the next time you are invited to go somewhere, do not fret about how you are getting there! Cabrini’s got you covered!