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By Meredith Henslee
THE BATTALION
It is 9 a.m., hot and sweltering. The
humidity is a miserable 100 percent, and the
40,000-plus students at Texas A&M are the
lucky participants in a scramble for one of
three coveted prizes: a spot on the bus, a
rectangle of cement they can call their park
ing space or a bike route to class — one
preferably not crowded with cars, pedestri
ans or other bikers.
However, it is not easy for students to
attain one of these things.
Katie O'Reilly, a junior finance major,
compared parking on West Campus to vul
tures circling their prey.
“You can't even walk to your car without
hearing the rev of an engine behind you fol
lowing you all the way to your parking
spot,” she said.
According to Parking, Transportation
and Traffic Services (PTTS), there were
1 1,296 student parking spaces available on
campus during the 2000-2001 academic
year. With an estimated 43,000 students,
the parking spot-to-student ratio was about
one to four.
About 900 spaces were annihilated
because of construction for the new
parking garage, directly on what used to
be Fish Lot. This has caused major traf
fic congestion on and around campus
and serious parking mayhem.
Riding the bus to campus provides a way
out of the parking trap. The buses have been
re-routed this year, which may prove con
fusing at first but will hopefully be benefi-
You cant even walk to
your car without hearing the
rev of an engine behind you
following you all the way to
your parking spot.
— Katie O’Reilly
junior finance major
cial in the end.
Cory Talley, an A&M bus driver and a
graduate agricultural education major,
described the benefits of the changes.
“It’s much quicker, and we are now
able to run a dinner-and-movie night,” she
said. Talley believes that the buses will
become more appreciated and widely used
because of the hard work of the bus system
employees.
Getting to campus is not the only prob
lem. Traveling across campus between
classes also can be a hassle. For this reason,
on-campus biking has some advantages.
The long wait for the shuttle can be avoid
ed, and it saves the time spent walking if the
destination is across campus. However, bik
ers on their way to class sometimes speed
past pedestrians, causing some accidents.
If at all possible, staying away from cam
pus while in a car is a good idea. It can aid
in keeping traffic congestion low and can
save valuable minutes of time.
“There was so much traffic on the way to
the [Student Recreation Center] that it took
me 25 minutes to get there,” said Elyse
Ackley, a junior elementary education
major, who lives two miles from campus.
“It took so long that I had to wait for the
train to pass twice; It was ridiculous.”
Taking advantage of the bus system is
also a good idea. As long as students are
aware of the changes in routes, this mode of
transportation is like a free chauffeur serv
ice and a good way to avoid the frustration
of crowded parking lots.
Buses also are available for on-campus
traveling. A map of the new routes can be
obtained at the PTTS office located in the
John J. Koldus Student Services Building or
on the PTTS Website at www.ptts.tamu.edu.
All students need to get around campus,
and there are several options available if
students take the time to discover what
works best for them.
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covered parking !
Convenient parking in Northgate,
just minutes from campus at the
College Main
Parking Garage
(309 College Main)
Lease applications are available at:
College Station City Hall
Accounting Department
1101 Texas Avenue (next to Chili’s)
College Station
College Station Utility
Customer Service Building
310 Krenek Tap Road
College Station
Call 764-3565 for more information!
Hourly rates and 24/7 leases available.
s p a ft r $