Campus Connection

Article by UW-L student Melissa Moss A big challenge for students living on campus is transportation. Want to head downtown on a Saturday afternoon but don’t feel like walking? Need some toiletries from Walmart but your friend with a car went home for the weekend? Though not having a car on campus can be a big issue for students, both the city of La Crosse and UW-L offer solutions.

Take a bus

One choice is the La Crosse MTU, which offers safe and convenient bus transportation between La Crosse, French Island, Onalaska and La Crescent. The La Crosse MTU is free for all UW-L students thanks to the U-PASS program that allows students to show their student ID and ride any route for free. With eight fixed-routes and two flex-routes, along with handicapped accessibility and a rack to load bicycles, there are many options for traveling throughout the La Crosse area. Plan ahead. Use the MTU website trip planner to find the correct bus and make sure it is on time. Individuals certified as ADA para-transit eligible who are unable to use fixed route buses should coordinate specialized or para-transit service with MTU. A new transit bus in the area is SMRT Ride, which costs $3 for a one-way trip ride between Crawford, Vernon and La Crosse counties. The SMRT ride makes four round trips a day, five days a week, with one route in the early morning, two mid-day, and one in the late afternoon. It picks up riders at Cartwright Center. For more information about this new bus system click here or call 877.444.6543.

Ride your bike or rent a bike to ride

Another option is biking. UW-L's REC rent bikes at a daily rate, ranging from as low as $5 to $20 per day. Students can also rent a green bike from the Outdoor Connection for $15 plus a $25 or $50 deposit. These bikes can be used for an unlimited amount of time. When the bike is returned to the Outdoor Connection, the deposit is returned to the student. This program offers students transportation for short- and long-term needs.  To find out more about this option, check out the Outdoor Connection’s site.

Get a parking permit and bring your car

Students may also choose to bring a car on campus with them so they have the freedom to go where they want, whenever they please. There will be an estimated 600 additional parking spots on campus with the construction of the new parking ramp. Students will have a better chance to get a parking space and more off-campus parking will be available. “Those who have a need for a vehicle need to make a decision about how they’re going to use it and if it's worth it for them to park on campus,” UW-L's Parking and Transportation Services Manager Victor Hill says. Hill emphasizes that they prefer students purchase parking permits if they need them — rather than getting ticketed for parking violations. Permits for on-campus residents cost $274 for a full academic year and $190 for one semester only. For information about parking on campus, call Parking and Transportation Services at 785.8061.