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Increased parking permit prices, a new stadium, and lowering harmful emissions rates are all factors making alternative transportation more appealing. Transfort bus services recently announced 365 day bus service— a motion that will be beneficial to members of the Fort Collins and Colorado State University communities.

The upcoming semester will mark the start of my third year at Colorado State University without a car. These past two years have been filled with running to bus stops, frantically searching for bus routes closest to wherever I am and even purchasing my own form of alternative transportation, a moped. To me, and many students, this is a long awaited relief.

The school week is usually packed with classes, projects, studying, work and anything else a student has to juggle. This leaves little to no room for extracurriculars, like doctors appointments, that are a necessity but difficult to fit into the week. Bus services on the weekends means that students will have a guaranteed ride to these important appointments and events that can only be scheduled during the tiny moments of free time on the weekends.

According to Aaron Fodge, CSU Alternative Transportation Manager, two out of three CSU students commute to school other than driving their personal vehicles.

“(New transit service) means our community cares enough to support the growing transportation needs our citizens, students, and visitors every day,” Fodge said. “Our students represent not only the largest ridership group, but a significant funding source to help make Sunday service a reality.”

Although the extended bus service is great for students, it is also a benefit to the greater community. Grocery stores are not always in walking distance, there may be a freak blizzard in May (again) and people do not always have friends willing to generously give rides. These are issues faced by not only students, but citizens of Fort Collins as well.

Bus services on the weekends may present alternative costs that need to be covered by members of the community, but theses costs are insignificant in terms of the untimate impact of public transportation. Cars are expensive and their maintenance quickly adds up, and public transport is better for the environment. Transfort offers bus services throughout the entire city of Fort Collins, as well as to Loveland area and even Boulder. The cost of a bus ticket on the weekends are significantly cheaper than the tank of gas needed to go out around town.

Transfort bus services represent not only a simple bus ride to school or work, but to many, public transport is a chance to better the Fort Collins community.

Savannah Hoag can be reached at letters@collegian and online at @sav_hoag