tractor
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Post by tractor on Sept 3, 2019 10:50:50 GMT -5
My son is 8 hours away in one of the further north locations you can get and still be in the US, he has no car and doesn’t want one. Sure riding the bus (for free) into town takes time and planning, but it’s not the end of the world, and he can occasionally bum a ride if needed. The main reason he doesn’t want one is the students are required to keep the snow off the car in the winter (can get over 300-inches each year). It’s a pain to keep up with and not worth the convenience of having a car close by.
He gets ride home with other students as needed. You should find out what the cost and responsibilities are for your daughter to keep a car on campus, it might not be worth it. And 3 1/2 hours away is nothing..easy day trip there and back 🙂
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teen persuasion
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Post by teen persuasion on Sept 3, 2019 11:12:46 GMT -5
I'm really surprised bus companies don't service those schools. Ours have terminals right on campus. They don't even have to figure out how to get to the bus station. Poking around RIT's website, it turns out they do plan charter buses home on breaks like UR does: My Ride Home Not sure if any of the routes are useful.
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bean29
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Post by bean29 on Sept 3, 2019 11:15:03 GMT -5
My kids both went to UW-Whitewater. It is about an hour from home. DS took his car after Thanksgiving the first year. DD took hers on the first day of school.
DD took her driver's test in a snowstorm, and never hesitated to drive in snow when she was in HS. her first car was an Elantra. She was rear-ended about 2 years ago, and car was totaled. We replaced it with a Subaru Legacy b/c it was priced about the same as other cars DH would have considered and it has AWD. I researched the car, and told them to add eyesight. They charged us an extra $600. It has automatic braking, lane deviation, back up cams etc and auto dimming high beams. When I buy a car, Subaru's are on the top of my list to look at.
Judging from how big the parking lots are at UW-Whitewater, I would guess about 2/3 of the students have a car. DD says finding a parking spot is a continual challenge even if you have a parking permit.
My DD is now a commuter though - she does not live on campus any more - or even in the same city as her school. She is a Senior this year - one year to go.
My drawback with giving our kids a car was then have never just used it to drive home. DD has been known to drive friends to O'Hare, or Pleasant Prairie for Shopping,and DS went on a few Road Trips like the time he went to New Orleans for a Ultimate Frisbee Tournament (With his team in a Caravan) during one of the few Cold Fronts/Snow Storms that hit the south. A few inches of snow closed down the freeway. A few inches of snow is not an issue to keep Wisconsinites off the roads, but down south, they don't have salt, sand, and plows like we do. The team ended up spending the night at a Gas Station/Fast Food place. But, it all worked out, they competed and they made it back home (a day late, and the school excused the team absence).
Eta, while part of me does not like that DD drives to Chicago on a whim, I really am glad that she has the self confidence to drive in Chicago. When she was a Freshman, I remember being at a party in Glenview, IL, and she texted me that she had dropped a friend off in Chicago I think it was the United Center, but not real sure where she was. I looked at our Friend that lives in Skokie, and told her where DD was, and asked her about DD driving to where we were and she just shrugged and was totally unconcerned about it. I decided I needed to chill, and let my kids live their lives. I know my kids would laugh and say I still have issues with this though.
I try hard though. Sometimes my paranoid Mama Bear Instincts get the better of me though.
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Sept 3, 2019 14:22:24 GMT -5
IF her route home would be down 81 through the Poconos, she should practice that a bit. Even on “nice”day, the Poconos can get fogged in and the 18 wheelers can be overbearing. Add snow and it can be even more challenging. And let’s not even talk about how often of late Pennsylvania highways seem to get shut down, stranding drivers, during a heavy snow storm. We’ve actually had ODS wait a day or two to make his trip either way when Pennsylvania is due for snow. Just in case, are sure she has a well-stocked emergency kit including blankets, warm clothes, flare, water, snacks, and a shovel.
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oped
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Post by oped on Sept 3, 2019 15:02:29 GMT -5
I'm really surprised bus companies don't service those schools. Ours have terminals right on campus. They don't even have to figure out how to get to the bus station. I'm going to be honest. I never considered a bus. Will look into it. I will say one of the boys who goes there is part of the, hmmm how can i say cheapest without making it sound bad, families i know and i know they go to get him. Maybe that's why i didn't think of it? ... we are a train family. That's how son gets most of the way to and from. Love trains. Can't say as i have much experience with buses. I will look at it.
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oped
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Post by oped on Sept 3, 2019 15:06:23 GMT -5
I'm really surprised bus companies don't service those schools. Ours have terminals right on campus. They don't even have to figure out how to get to the bus station. Poking around RIT's website, it turns out they do plan charter buses home on breaks like UR does: My Ride Home Not sure if any of the routes are useful. That doesn't seem to fit... Do they Only stop at those locations? I'll have to check more, and the regular lines. Did one of those say something about a private shuttle. That sounds crazy, but if there are 5 of us with kids there... It isn't just end term though. Again though, her wanting to come home for things isn't the same as her needing to come home for things.
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oped
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Post by oped on Sept 3, 2019 15:12:11 GMT -5
My drawback with giving our kids a car was then have never just used it to drive home. DD has been known to drive friends to O'Hare, or Pleasant Prairie for Shopping,and DS went on a few Road Trips like the time he went to New Orleans for a Ultimate Frisbee Tournament (With his team in a Caravan) during one of the few Cold Fronts/Snow Storms that hit the south. A few inches of snow closed down the freeway. A few inches of snow is not an issue to keep Wisconsinites off the roads, but down south, they don't have salt, sand, and plows like we do. The team ended up spending the night at a Gas Station/Fast Food place. But, it all worked out, they competed and they made it back home (a day late, and the school excused the team absence).
This was her in high school bean, and i have to think she would continue there and it is a major con on my list. She's the 'mom' of any group. She always has a first aid kit, 'gum' and will take you wherever you need to go...
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oped
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Post by oped on Sept 3, 2019 15:17:14 GMT -5
IF her route home would be down 81 through the Poconos, she should practice that a bit. Even on “nice”day, the Poconos can get fogged in and the 18 wheelers can be overbearing. Add snow and it can be even more challenging. And let’s not even talk about how often of late Pennsylvania highways seem to get shut down, stranding drivers, during a heavy snow storm. We’ve actually had ODS wait a day or two to make his trip either way when Pennsylvania is due for snow. Just in case, are sure she has a well-stocked emergency kit including blankets, warm clothes, flare, water, snacks, and a shovel. Its pretty much straight down. Maybe it just feels high? lol. Its desolate that drive though. All highway. Passing nothing but trees.
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teen persuasion
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Post by teen persuasion on Sept 4, 2019 21:01:20 GMT -5
Poking around RIT's website, it turns out they do plan charter buses home on breaks like UR does: My Ride Home Not sure if any of the routes are useful. That doesn't seem to fit... Do they Only stop at those locations? I'll have to check more, and the regular lines. Did one of those say something about a private shuttle. That sounds crazy, but if there are 5 of us with kids there... It isn't just end term though. Again though, her wanting to come home for things isn't the same as her needing to come home for things. No idea how it all works, we never used buses. I just remember DD1 mentioning it was an option for students from NYC, LI, etc. It sounds like they are special chartered routes just for end of term. Certainly not regular routes. Other than within a city's metro area, there's not a lot of bus routes here. Rochester has a city bus system RTS, Buffalo has its Metro bus system, but they don't interconnect. Rural areas have essentially no bus system. Trains? Well I think there's Amtrak running across NY, so Buffalo and major cities to NYC is convenient, but the rest? Not so much.
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