With fall semester fast approaching, it's time to think about how to get around campus. There are many options for getting to and from campus and classes. Most of them are free, which is nice. If you're willing to pay a premium, though, you can get more freedom and accessibility. There's something for everyone, so it's just a matter of finding your fit.
1. Walk
Students walking on the South Oval
https://www.instagram.com
PRICE: Free
IDEAL FOR: People living on campus
This is the good, old-fashioned way of getting around. If you live in the dorms or the Residential Colleges, walking is probably your best bet. You're not far from the South Oval, which is where most classes are located. Just make sure you leave yourself enough time to get where you're going on foot. If you're running late and/or have a ways to go, you might consider the next option.
2. Bike
OU's Crimson Cruisers
http://gotchabike.com
PRICE: Free
IDEAL FOR: commuters and distant classes
OU students are blessed with Crimson Cruisers, the bike share program. There's no need to spend hundreds of dollars on a bike that could be stolen when you can rent a Crimson Cruiser for free anytime using the Social Bicycles app! Biking is a good option for commuters, especially if you live in Traditions West, where there is a bike hub. You can also use a bike to get from one end of campus to the other faster than you could walk. I highly recommend Crimson Cruisers for getting around.
*Free except for fees. See a list of fees here.
3) Bus
CART bus near Campus Depot
http://www.ou.edu
PRICE: Free for students, faculty, and staff
IDEAL FOR: Commuters
OU uses CART (Cleveland Area Rapid Transit) buses to shuttle students around campus and to surrounding areas. There are bus stops at most apartments near campus. There's also a bus stop at the LNC (Lloyd Noble Center), where people can park for free with a pass. If you live near campus but don't want to pay for a parking pass, you can park at LNC and take a bus to campus from there. There are bus stops by the dorms and on the street across from the stadium near the South Oval. Living in Traditions West, the bus is my preferred way to get to campus. You can get a sticker that allows you to ride for free at CART's Transportation Operations Center at 510 E. Chesapeake, the OneCard office in the Oklahoma Memorial Union, or at OU Parking Services at 1332 Jenkins Ave.
*Attach the sticker to your student ID and present it when you board the bus.
4) Drive
Parking permit prices 18-19
https://ouparking.t2hosted.com
PRICE: Astronomical! (see picture)
IDEAL FOR: (Rich) commuters
Driving is probably the quickest way to get around, but it comes at a cost. An OU parking pass is $274 for Fall and Spring semesters (10 months). They sell more passes than they have parking spots, so you're not guaranteed a spot. You'd have to get to campus early to try and find a place to park, and it may not be close to where you're going. The Wesley, a church on the corner of Lindsay and Elm, also offers year-long parking passes. They have a pretty central location, and they don't oversell their spots. As of 2015, the cost was $375 ($100 more than OU). Basically, parking on campus is a privilege, not a right. However, I have a free workaround that might work for you. Last semester, my brother and I shared an apartment and a car. When we could, we would swap the car without having to park. He would bring the car to me after I finished class and when he was about to start. I would get in the car once he got out, and drive back to the apartment or wherever else I wanted to go. I highly recommend doing this if you can with friends or roommates.
You still have some time to mull over your options before school starts on August 20, but be prepared. You can purchase a parking permit here. You can download the Social Bicycles app for Android here, and for Apple here. As for those of you who prefer walking, make sure you have good shoes!
