Getting off campus: a closer look

In its 1997 edition, The Fiske Guide to Colleges called the town of Oberlin, Ohio "tiny but complete." At least it was half right.

Realistically, a town of Oberlin's size is incapable of offering a wide assortment of consumer options at competitive prices. How, then, do students remedy this problem? For some, it's as simple as placing a key into the ignition of their very own cars and driving away. Most people, however, rely on kind friends or public transportation, although the latter is becoming decreasingly available to Oberlin College students.

First-year Letitia Stancu had a disheartening experience with the Lorain County Transit Bus Service. On a mid-September Sunday morning, Stancu boarded a bus in front of Rax's Restaurant. Thirty minutes and $1.25 later, she arrived at the Midway Mall.

"The ride there was fine," Stancu said. "The bus was clean and the ride was long, but not excruciating. The bad part was trying to get home."

As it turns out, Stancu had misread the bus schedule and almost ended up on a bus leading her even farther away from Oberlin.

"The driver was very nice actually," Stancu said. "She told me that I was getting on the wrong bus and that I better find the Oberlin-bound bus fast. I was too late, unfortunately, and ended up calling a friend of mine with a car to pick me up. Without him, I probably would have slept in Elyria that night."

Senior Charity Johnson does not own a car, but she has several friends who do.

"Every Sunday a friend and I leave Oberlin to do our shopping," said Johnson. "You used to be able to rent a car yourself, but that program no longer exists."

About five years ago, according to Transportation Secretary Lois Ashby, the automobile insurance company instructed Campus Transportation to put an end to individuals renting out campus cars. Now students need a permission notice from a specific department or activities committee to receive a car for use.

The campus-supported Charter Bus Service also no longer exists, thus narrowing the options of anyone wishing to spend a Saturday afternoon in Cleveland. Lorain County Transit does operate a shuttle to Cleveland for $10.00, but its hours are fairly limited. Often students also have to pay high prices if they want to catch that late-night plane or train out of town.

First-year Dominica Ruta has traveled to Cleveland twice via taxi. "It's a lot of money to spend," said Ruta. "I spent from $30 to $40 both times. It seems like the College should offer more shuttle services."

Oberlin's main focus of student travel is now the specialty trip, in which events are planned and then paid for with nominal ride charges and union funds. This program is led by Associate Dean of Students Bill Stackman and Student Coordinator junior Liza Turner.

"We try to solicit student opinions on what trips they are interested in going on," Stackman said. "Awhile back a student came to us complaining about the lack of outdoor trips. We understood this and now we have two canoe trips over fall and spring break and a ski trip to Alpine Valley in February."

These field trips are fun for those who enjoy set destinations, but many Oberlin students want to wander the outside world at their own rate.

"I like that there are field trips for people who want to do that," first-year David Reminick said. "But I'd rather have a service that just dropped me off and picked me up, so I could explore at my own pace."

Although there is a bus to Cleveland that goes just that three times a semester, Reminick was not satisfied. "Three times a semester! That's less than once a month. I find that fairly unimpressive."