Car on campus- pros and cons?

[teachermom2834]

My oldest ds is off at college without a car. He is in a major city with public transportation and has enough friends with cars to have no need. I have always been of the general opinion that having a car on campus, especially as a freshman, can be more trouble than it is worth. We've always said we would evaluate the need for a car as time goes on and if there is one we would discuss it. This has worked for first ds. He might at some point have an internship or job that is worthwhile and requires a car but for now he's had no need or interest, really. He is two hours from home and driving him back and forth on breaks has been no problem. He doesn't come home just for weekends. Only longer breaks.

 

 

Second ds will go next year, also two hours away but in a different direction. He is not headed to a major city with effective public transportation. I don't think there are even Uber or Lyft drivers there. It is a good sized school and I was thinking he would have everything he really needed on campus. I was taking the same approach- go without a car just to have one less thing to deal with and if/when the time comes that it is needed we can discuss.

 

But now I am thinking of letting second ds take the car. (We have one older "kid" car he could take). Ds has a job waiting tables that he likes and makes decent tips. There is another location near his college and he was telling me last night how he can put in for a transfer to the store there and be able to transfer back and forth between the two locations. He does need to work some while at school. I mentioned to him that he would just need to figure out how to get himself there and back but I don't think there is really another way outside of him having his own car. Then I started thinking about how it would be easier if we did not have to drive back and forth to get him on breaks (doing it for one ds is not a big deal but coordinating two surely will be harder). He is also an introvert of sorts and might want to come home some weekends. So now my mind is more open to him taking a car as a freshman.

 

Any thoughts? I know he will have to pay for parking and that will likely be a hassle at this school. He will have to deal with any problems that come up with the car or any mishaps without us there to help. We do have AAA and honestly that is something you have to learn to handle whether 18 or 22.

 

I also remember that when I was in college the kids that brought cars freshman year were constantly harassed to take people places or loan out their cars. Later on more people had their own cars and upperclassman were more mature and less annoying so it wasn't such an issue. But those few freshman with cars were constantly being pressured to drive people places or loan them.

 

How do having a car/ not having a car on campus work out for your family?

 

*I know not all schools allow freshman to have cars on campus but the college in question does.

[regentrude]

My DD did not have a car for the first 3 years. She does not need one, it's a pain to park, and when she ventures downtown, she takes public transit. We gave her my old car when she had a commute to her internship this summer; otherwise, she would have had to live at the campus of that lab. 

 

My DS did take his car. He is an athlete, and one major motivation for him to choose this college is that he is able to continue training with his club. That involves a 25 minute drive and is not easily accessible by public transit. He trains three nights a week, and it gives him a great outlet from classes and studying. The sport is extremely important in his life, and it was a priority to make it possible for him to continue.

We live two hours away, and having a car allows him to come home on weekends. He is an introvert and appreciates a break from the dorm. And his girlfriend lives in our town, too. 

he is a freshman, so we are only a few weeks into the semester, but for now, it has been a good decision.

ETA: I will ask him whether he is asked to give rides, but I suspect it is not much of an issue, since he is gone most evenings. I'm pretty sure nobody will want to borrow his car, because almost nobody can drive stick.

Edited September 15, 2017 by regentrude

[MerryAtHope]

Are things like the job within biking distance? That's how I got around (as a Freshman, I actually walked 2 miles to school so save money sometimes, though we did have a bus option too). 

 

If not, it would seem that a car would be pretty important. But if biking/walking is possible, I would lean that way. I think it would really depend on the kid for me. 

[Bootsie]

DD is a college senior and has not had a car until this semester (partly because she just got her drivers' license).  She has an internship this semester, so having a car has made it easier for her to get to and from the internship.  In the past, she took some public transportation and used Uber some when she needed to get somewhere.  She also rode places with friends occasionally.  We would take her to the grocery store, etc. to stock up when we visited.  There were not many things within walking distance of her campus, but she could ride her bike to the grocery store if she needed to.

 

I have often heard that "freshmen who do not have a car do better in classes" but I have never seen statistics to back that claim.  Having worked with college students over a number of years, I tend to believe that, on average, that is a true statement.  Students without a car tend to get more plugged in on campus and have fewer distractions.  (Dealing with a flat tire, dead battery, or parking ticket takes time and energy.)  Also, I encourage students to work on campus if possible rather than off campus.  The campus employers are more supportive of the students' academic work.  It is easy for an outside employer to encourage the student to miss class "just this once" to cover someone else's shift....

 

However, DS has a car on campus this semester as a freshman.  He is involved in a sports activity that requires some travel off of campus several times a week.  Parking on his college campus is not too difficult or expensive compared to some campuses (and he got sophomore parking rather than freshman due to a large number of college credits earned while in high school).  He has not had anyone asked to borrow his car (but like Regentrude's son he drives a manual transmission.  I do think it has made it a bit slower for him to engage totally on campus because he can simply leave and do his own thing.  He has offered to take some other students to Walmart or to run some errands.  

[teachermom2834]

Thanks for the stories.

 

I agree with jdahlquist about it being possible freshman do better without cars. Of course that is not universal but it kind of fits with what my gut feeling has always been on it. I think in our situation in might be best even to let him go without it initially. While I don't mind if he gets in a pattern of coming home on weekends I would like him to stick around at first and give it a try and see if he can plug in socially. I would also like him to see if he can find a job on campus. We can always take him the car a month later. I'd prefer he not have it so we could always let him see how things go without it. In fact, I probably won't even mention to him that we are thinking of letting him take it. I really do only want to let him take it if he has a real need or it is a real benefit.

 

He is a senior now so I have all year to think about it and see how things develop. By next summer he may be sick of this job. Or have wrecked the car. Or all kinds of other things.

[Pawz4me]

Both of our boys have always had their cars on campus. They've never been harassed. As far as I know almost all of their friends have their own vehicles. Parking can be very expensive but it's something we're willing to pay for them to have access to their vehicles. Both their universities are in towns that have good local public transit but they need their cars to get to neighboring cities or to come home. Each of them is about 90 minutes away (opposite directions) and they like to pop home once a month or so.

 

Other than the parking expense we haven't found any cons. Of course there could be mechanical issues to,deal with but we keep their vehicles well maintained and have roadside assistance coverage on them. And sooner or later they have to learn to deal with that kind of stuff anyway.

Edited September 16, 2017 by Pawz4me

[Hilltopmom]

Does his campus have a bus or shuttle system? Many do, especially in areas without city busses. They usually stop at set locations around the general area: campus, grocery store, Walmart, etc.

 

Can he ride a bike to work instead?

 

Most areas without Uber still have old fashioned taxi cabs too.

 

I rode my bike to my early morning hospital shift in college & if the weather was snow or ice, called a cab.

[HelenNotOfTroy]

The biggest problem I had with having a car on campus was finding parking places.

[teachermom2834]

Does his campus have a bus or shuttle system? Many do, especially in areas without city busses. They usually stop at set locations around the general area: campus, grocery store, Walmart, etc.

 

Can he ride a bike to work instead?

 

Most areas without Uber still have old fashioned taxi cabs too.

 

I rode my bike to my early morning hospital shift in college & if the weather was snow or ice, called a cab.

There is a campus shuttle and a city bus but they do not run past 6:00 pm. Bike won't work for a variety of reasons . Taking a cab regularly would just not be cost effective.

 

But thank you! I'm not trying to be that person that asks a question and won't take suggestions.

[Hilltopmom]

There is a campus shuttle and a city bus but they do not run past 6:00 pm. Bike won't work for a variety of reasons . Taking a cab regularly would just not be cost effective.

 

But thank you! I'm not trying to be that person that asks a question and won't take suggestions.

Lol, no worries!

If he could take the bus to work but a cab home, that might work. I made pretty good money in the hospital lab, so $5 for my cab ride one way (I could take the bus, it was running by the end of my shift) was worth it to me.

I guess weigh the cost of car on campus vs money made at job, kwim?

You've got the car already & are already paying the insurance...

[Bootsie]

There is a campus shuttle and a city bus but they do not run past 6:00 pm. Bike won't work for a variety of reasons . Taking a cab regularly would just not be cost effective.

 

 

We thought that taking a cab regularly wouldn't be cost effective, but when we crunched the numbers we found that using a cab even on a routine basis could be cheaper than having a car on campus.  Even if you already own the car, the insurance cost may be different if the car is taken to the campus or left at home. 

[teachermom2834]

Lol, no worries!

If he could take the bus to work but a cab home, that might work. I made pretty good money in the hospital lab, so $5 for my cab ride one way (I could take the bus, it was running by the end of my shift) was worth it to me.

I guess weigh the cost of car on campus vs money made at job, kwim?

You've got the car already & are already paying the insurance...

Oh yeah, it is a cost tradeoff no matter what. I haven't taken a cab in a few decades so I really didn't know how much it would be but I figured it would be more than $5. Otherwise I agree that bus there and cab back would work. Just seems like it probably would really add up.

 

But if the only reason he needs a car is for this particular job that doesn't make sense either. He could take a lower paying on campus job but save the car expenses.

 

Just have to see what makes the most sense. If having a car means he is more tempted to go off campus for food and entertainment that won't save him any money either.

[teachermom2834]

We thought that taking a cab regularly wouldn't be cost effective, but when we crunched the numbers we found that using a cab even on a routine basis could be cheaper than having a car on campus. Even if you already own the car, the insurance cost may be different if the car is taken to the campus or left at home.

We definitely figured with my older ds that taking Uber, even somewhat regularly, was more cost effective than a car. So, we really should see how much a cab ride is.

 

I know we can get our insurance reduced if he is away without a car. Not sure how much.

[Harriet Vane]

Parking. People pressuring you to borrow the car. Insurance.

 

Ugh.

 

'Nuff said.

[Guest]

Plus is experience drivng and parking, taking responsibility for maintenance, ability to volunteer and attend off campus activities.

 

Negative is tickets if the town/gown relationship isn't good.

[Mom22ns]

Both of my kids took cars from the beginning. Parking was never an issue. Ds's school has free parking for all students and his small apartment building has its own lot where no one but residents can park. Dd paid for a permit last year, but this year lives in campus apartments that include free parking in their gated lot. Neither one has ever mentioned anyone asking to borrow their car. All of their roommates/suitemates/close friends etc have cars with them on campus too. We live in the midwest and cars are the assumed means of transportation. Both kids are in medium sized towns with little to offer in the way of public transportation. I am happy for them to have the freedom to get off campus when needed and to come home when they want. I spent my first semester at college without my car and absolutely hated it. I am shy and didn't like asking for rides. I felt trapped and unable to get home or anywhere else if I wanted to go. Having experienced it that way, I would never have put my kids in that spot if I could avoid it. 

 

Obviously an urban school would be very different and some kids don't even want to drive, so not everyone would share my experience or that of my kids.

[Julie of KY]

My son is at a school where freshman are not allowed to have cars, so it wasn't a decision for us.

 

I think it varies from school to school and student to student on if it is a good idea or not.

 

Some schools parking is a nightmare, others it is easy.

Will your student spend too much time doing other stuff and being distracted from studies?

DO you need a car for a job?

Does your student need a car to get home?

Cost of parking?

How's the public transportation?

Is your student living on campus or off? 

Does your student have a meal plan or need to frequently go to the grocery store?

Sports? or other off-campus activities.

How congested is traffic around the school.

Crime rates? Will the car be safe?

 

[daijobu]

Besides Uber/Lyft there is also Zipcar.  You might want to crunch the numbers on that option, but dh and I were marveling at how many transportation choices students have nowadays that they no longer need cars on campus.  

 

I'm surprised there aren't Lyft drivers near campus.  Don't college students work those jobs, and isn't there enough alcohol-fueled revelry to fuel a demand for sober drivers?  

[Bootsie]

For comparison purposes, my campus has two zip cars on campus.  Students can use them for $7.50 per hour or $69 per day (that includes gasoline and a 180 mile allowance).  One catch is that those two cars have to be returned to the campus.  Thus a student can't rent a car for an hour to go to the town 45 miles away, spend the day there, and then get another car for an hour rental to drive back.  There is also a monthly membership fee.

 

 Also, the insurance coverage can vary from state to state with Zip Cars; where I am uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is not included if you are under 21.

[regentrude]

For comparison purposes, my campus has two zip cars on campus.  Students can use them for $7.50 per hour or $69 per day (that includes gasoline and a 180 mile allowance).  One catch is that those two cars have to be returned to the campus.  Thus a student can't rent a car for an hour to go to the town 45 miles away, spend the day there, and then get another car for an hour rental to drive back.  There is also a monthly membership fee.

 

 Also, the insurance coverage can vary from state to state with Zip Cars; where I am uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is not included if you are under 21.

 

That setup makes it very difficult to use it in a sensible way. Two cars per campus means the student cannot rely on a zip car being available when he needs it, since he competes with several thousand other students. 

[Bootsie]

That setup makes it very difficult to use it in a sensible way. Two cars per campus means the student cannot rely on a zip car being available when he needs it, since he competes with several thousand other students. 

There are some other zip cars that students can use nearby.  It's just that the university has provided two free, permanent parking spaces for those two cars and they must be returned to the campus rather than going into the broader pool.  I don't know how long in advance most students book the cars, but I haven't heard complaints that they aren't available for use.  I wouldn't want to have to depend on them on a regular basis, but they do feel a need for students who want to make an occasional trip off of campus that is not too time sensitive.  I think international students may make the most use of them.

[Wheres Toto]

Double check that they allow freshman to have cars on campus.  Dd's school didn't.   There were two train stations for different lines on or right next to her campus, she was only about 45 minutes from home (without traffic), they offered a fairly frequent shuttle to the local businesses and they had a bunch of Zipcars available.  One of her friends who needed her car on campus bought a parking permit for the one train station and parked at their lot all year.