Why Students Don’t Need to Bring a Car to Campus
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
A Message for Parents from Clovis Acosta, UNM Parking & Transportation Services Director
Our primary concern at UNM Parking & Transportation Services is providing access to the University facilities so that students, staff, faculty and visitors may flourish in the learning community. While we offer many services to assist commuters, we also support other resources that offer cost‐effective and convenient alternatives to bringing a car to campus everyday.
From the purchase of a vehicle, to the maintenance, upkeep, fuel and insurance costs, cars cost a lot of money.
Interested in knowing exactly how much a car costs? Check out the Commute Cost Calculator at the City of Albuquerque website.
Commuting daily is expensive. Below are a few ways students can save gas, save cash and get to and from campus without relying on a car. With costs on the rise, saving money has never been so important. UNM’s optimal central location and friendly campus environment make alternative commuting convenient. Whether your student can use these options full‐time or only some of the time – the savings is worth the consideration.
1. The Lobo Ride Pass with ABQRide
Did you know UNM students can ride the city bus for free? It’s true! The Lobo Ride bus pass program, now in its second year, allows students with a special sticker on their UNM Lobo ID to ride the city bus free of charge. This option is ideal for short distance commuting to and from campus and is great for students who live along the Central corridor and can ride the Rapid Ride Redline. It’s also good for commuter students who live near the Blueline stop at Coors & Montano. Both the Redline and Blueline bus routes stop directly in front of the university. Equipped with wireless internet, students can commute for free and catch up on school work while on the bus.
Students can take their UNM Lobo ID and a copy of their class schedule to the Parking & Transportation Services office (on the NW corner of Central & University) to receive the sticker. Students can also visit the UNM Bookstore and the Lobo Card store in the Student Union Building to receive the Lobo Pass sticker. Students must present both their Lobo ID and current class schedule to be eligible for the Lobo Pass program.
For more information about bus routes visit http://www.cabq.gov/transit/
2. The NM Railrunner
Ideal for commuters from Belen, Los Lunas and Bernalillo, the NMRailrunner train is a fast and convenient way for students to get to campus. Full‐time students can buy monthly passes at a discounted rate with their UNM Lobo ID. Rates are as low as $25 a month. Landing at the downtown train station, students can use their NMRailrunner pass to ride the city bus for free to and from UNM or they can use their Lobo Ride pass! In addition, Parking & Transportation Services offers a courtesy shuttle from the downtown station to UNM twice daily.
UNM Parking & Transportation’s
Alvarado Transit Center/NM Railrunner Shuttle Schedule
From the downtown transit center to campus: 6:30 a.m. and 7:40 a.m.
From UNM campus to the downtown transit center: 3:45 p.m. and 5:05 p.m.
For more information, visit http://www.NMrailrunner.com
3. Zipcar: Streamlining Alternative Transportation
Zipcar is a national car sharing service that allows members to reserve and rent cars on an as‐needed basis. Low rates of $9/hour include gas, insurance and miles. Whenever a car is needed, members can hop online or call to reserve a vehicle. UNM currently has five vehicles placed around campus for students, staff, faculty and community members to use. Vehicles include three Civic Hybrids, a Mini‐Cooper and a Toyota Sienna.
Zipcar is ideal for students who live on campus, but do not keep a vehicle on campus (dorm students pay $242 to park on campus for each 10‐month housing contract). Zipcar is also another great cost‐effective option for students who use alternative transportation to get to and from campus, but need a car to run errands, go to appointments or for other personal matters while on campus.
If your student is considering living on or around campus you could reduce parking permit and vehicle upkeep costs by encouraging your student to use ABQRide to access the many amenities near the University and signing them up for Zipcar for other transportation needs.
To sign up for Zipcar, students can visit http://www.zipcar.com/unm and initiate an account. Students must be over the age of 18 to participate. An annual membership fee of $35 includes access to Zipcars across the country.
4. Bicycling
With 310 days of sunshine out of the year on average and a temperate, predictable seasonal climate, Albuquerque is a great place for bicycling! Bike lanes border over three‐quarters of the University area and even if bicycling is not the number one choice for transportation, it is an excellent option for multi‐modal trips. ABQRide buses are equipped with bike racks to help riders complete their trips and UNM is full of bike racks.
In addition to the abundance of bike racks around campus, Parking & Transportation Services rents bike lockers for $16 a semester. To check for availability call 277‑0461.
5. Walking
Walking to destinations on or around campus is a beneficial and cost‐free alternative to using a vehicle. Walking 20 minutes or more a day has been proven to:
• decrease risk of heart attack or stroke
• reduce risk of breast cancer and type 2 diabetes
• relieve back pain
• reduce stress
• lengthen life‐span
• improve emotional well‐being
Encouraging your students to walk to destinations in the university vicinity is a great way to improve their health and outlook while reducing transportation costs.
6. Carpooling: Cut Costs in Half
If the options above are not enticing enough, consider the benefits of carpooling. Transportation costs can be reduced at least 50 percent by carpooling. Students often share similar class schedules with their friends and co‐workers or have the flexibility to share rides to and from campus. Carpooling greatly reduces the cost of operating a vehicle and commuting to campus.
If you are interested in an Albuquerque rideshare, check out this free service, http://www.erideshare.com.
The One Day a Week Challenge: Try it!
Parking & Transportation Services understands the importance of efficiently getting to and from destinations. Why waste time and money dealing with parking and congestion around campus everyday when all of these great money‐saving options are available in the university area? UNM is a great central location for alternative commuting. Why not try it out?
I want to urge you to encourage your student to take the “One Day A Week Challenge.” Using alternative transportation just one day a week can significantly reduce transportation costs and ease the stress of parking on or around campus. It also has the added benefit of reducing emissions and preserving air quality for our community.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact UNM Parking & Transportation Services at parktran@unm.edu or 277‑0461 or visit our website at: http://www.unm.edu/parking.