The road to clean ways of traveling
The snow is falling, the roads are slick, and it’s about negative two degrees outside. On days such as this in Logan, most students and community members would rather drive to work or school than walk in the sludge, but Samantha Senda-Cook walks and rides the bus daily, because she doesn’t own a car.
Senda-Cook is a temporary instructor of speech communication, and said she has lived the last eight years without a car, and that it’s not as difficult as people seem to think.
“It’s a different mind-set,” she said. “You have to know different things. With a car, you have to know what roads are best for driving, which way is quicker. When you walk or bike, you know the same things, but there are different roads, different ways of getting to where you need to go.”
Senda-Cook lives about three miles from USU, and said she rides the bus in the mornings, then walks home after work because she can leave on her own schedule rather than trying to leave early enough to catch the bus.
Senda-Cook said walking home is better for her for many reasons.
“I can do my errands on my way home. I can stop at the Post Office, or the grocery store, all on my way to where I’m going,” Senda-Cook said.
The bus system in Logan has tried create a way of travel that is not only better for the environment, but also works with the students and faculty of the university, according to Lisa Peterson, director of marketing and public relations for Cache Valley Transit District (CVTD).
“There are multiple routes that go up to the university, and we have 15-minute service every weekday, during peak times,” she said.
Peterson said CVTD has become even more environmentally friendly in the last few months by buying new buses that are hybrid. The hybrid CVTD buses were acquired in order to reduce emissions and save on fuel, but the added bonus is that they are quieter and smoother than other buses.
But the CVTD isn’t only about bus stops, Peterson said.
“We have created ‘park-and-ride’ locations,” she said. “The Transit Center has an indoor area with bathrooms, drinks and other things, and is cool in the summer and warm in the winter. We do our best to make sure to have reasons why it’s easier to ride the bus.”
Peterson said one of the main reasons the bus is so easy to use is the fare-free system. The CVTD buses are free to use, which she said has increased ridership, and helps with things like congestion and emissions in Cache Valley.
In 2007, the Transportation Committee, (a subcommittee for the Sustainability Council) did a study which found that transportation-related issues accounted for 47 percent of the university’s total greenhouse gas emissions for that fiscal year. Of the 47 percent, 27 percent was from commuting by student, faculty and staff to the university.
Senda-Cook said the social benefits, such as decreasing emissions and being a part of her community, contribute to her decision to ride the bus and walk to and from work.
“I walk through the two main hubs of our community – USU and downtown Logan – every day,” Senda-Cook said. “I really feel a part of the community, because I’m where everything is happening.”
Senda-Cook said there are also personal reasons why she walks home from work every day, such as relaxing and getting exercise. It may not be the easiest thing to get around without a car, Senda-Cook said, and it takes a little planning, but it’s worth it.
“The first step is to know when you move somewhere that you won’t have a car, and look for an apartment that is close to everything you need,” Senda-Cook said. “I have a grocery store near me, and I walk by the library everyday.”
Associate professor Jennifer Peeples agreed that it is important to know that being environmentally friendly is important to you before choosing housing, and that is how she and her husband picked their neighborhood.
“We have a car, but most days I walk, ride the campus shuttle or carpool when it’s bad weather,” Peeples said. “My husband rides his bike everyday to work, rain or shine.”
Peeples said not only does her decision reduce the impact her family makes on the environment, but it is better for her wallet.
“We don’t pay for a parking pass, we don’t pay for gas, it’s just a lot cheaper,” she said.
Peeples and Senda-Cook also said alternative travel was good for them personally.
“Walking is better in terms of health,” Peeples said. “Plus, it saves me time. I can get from the door of my house to the door of my office in seven minutes if I ride my bike. It takes about the same, maybe more if I drive, find a parking lot and walk to my office.”
Senda-Cook said, “Walking helps me relax. I read a book and look around when I get to an intersection, but I really like it.”
– april.ashland@aggiemail.usu.edu