Getting around traffic at Richmond-area schools

Related Links

Parking at J. Sargeant Reyonolds Community College
http://www.jsr.vccs.edu/security/parking/default.htm

Parking at the University of Richmond
http://oncampus.richmond.edu/administration/police/parking/index.htm

Parking at Virginia Commonwealth University
http://www.bsv.vcu.edu/vcupark/

Richmond Transit System
http://www.ridegrtc.com/

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By Latala Payne
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Published: October 10, 2008

Finding the money to pay for gas, cruising around for a parking space, and keeping the maintenance up on the car are problems that many college students in Richmond face. To find solutions, students must be creative.

“I pay for my own car insurance, and my own gas,” said Michael Gilbert, an economics major at Virginia Commonwealth University, about the financial challenges he faces. He has to drive to school from Church Hill. “When my car broke down it was not worth it to fix, so I ride my bike and use the bus now.”

When it comes to transportation, saving money is a priority for many Richmond students. That’s why some students choose to walk or ride a bike.

“I ride a bike, because it’s way more convenient to get to my job and I don’t have to pay for gas,” said William Keck, an English major at VCU. “Also, it’s definitely a way to get some exercise compared to walking,” he added.

Riding a bike is an option for many students who live on their college’s campus or in the area surrounding it.

J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, on the other hand, offers free parking for its students and faculty, said Sgt. Karen Houchens of the college’s police department.

“There are plenty of spaces on campus for each student to park, but it is crowded in the front lots where students would prefer to park,” said Houchens. “As long as they are registered for classes at J. Sarg., students have no problems obtaining a free parking pass.”

According to Houchens, there is also a free shuttle service that runs at each of the campus’s locations, which are located in downtown Richmond, Goochland, and Henrico.

The Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) is also a major source of transportation for the college community in Richmond. There are five bus lines designed specifically for the VCU students. Bus passes can be bought through the VCU Parking and Transportation Office. For non-students and faculty, there is a go-card program for which bus passes can be purchased at over 100 retailers in the Richmond area.

“We have a very successful partnership with VCU that has quickly made them our third largest client in Richmond,” said GRTC CEO John Lewis. “I have been here for three years and the ridership for the VCU students and faculty has continually increased. We work with VCU to design or make adjustments to routes to better serve their needs.”

Although VCU is a major client of GRTC, it is also working with other schools to extend its service to them as well. Lewis has been in conversations with the University of Richmond to develop a commuter service pass.

GRTC’s Ridefinders division is working with them to develop a pass program with service around the campus. Ridefinders works with the community to find better ways of carpooling, to give more people the opportunity to share the ride and save on commuting expenses.

“Incoming freshman may commute from long distances daily, live on campus, live near campus, or have local transit service available in their local community.

Personally, I would encourage anyone who has the opportunity to ‘share the ride,’ whether via car-pool, bus or van pool to try this option,” said Emma Minor of the Department of Parking and Transportation at VCU.