There is plenty to do on and off campus at Syracuse. Some activities however, are further away and require the use of a car. The university does not allow freshmen to have cars on-campus, and many upperclassmen, especially those whose hometowns are far away (like me), are also carless. Luckily, there are plenty of alternative forms of transportation available to students so that we do not miss out on fun opportunities. These are the ones I use most frequently:
Free Shuttle to Destiny USA
Destiny USA is the sixth largest shopping center in the nation with six stories of retail stores, restaurants, entertainment complexes and outlets, making it a popular destination among SU students. A 20 minute bus ride from campus, the free, roundtrip shuttle runs from College Place, right on main campus on Fridays and Saturdays. The first bus leaves at 6 p.m. and comes every thirty minutes. The bus also stops at the Archbold Gym, Sadler Hall and BBB bus stops.
Free Shuttle to Downtown Syracuse
Take the free Connective Corridor Route 443 bus from College Place to the Warehouse, located at the heart of downtown. The bus ride is 20 minutes and takes you right into Armory Square–where there are plenty of great restaurants. Downtown Syracuse also offers fashionistas a number of trendy stores and an Urban Outfitters. The full schedule can be found here.
Discounted Buses For Thanksgiving
Every year, the Student Association (SA) provides charter buses for SU students to five different cities: New York City, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, and Rockaway, New Jersey. The buses are for SU students only at the round-trip price of just $99. I spoke to Keelan Erhard, the Chair of Student Life at SA, and he expressed that this is one of many initiatives SU is committed to, “We have ambassadors that ride the bus and they are the ones with the roster of students who purchased tickets,” said Erhard. “They’re in charge of making sure everyone is on the bus, and if they aren’t, they are tasked with contacting the person to see where they are so that the bus doesn’t leave without them.” SA provides the same service for spring break.
Free Shuttle to Wegman’s and Target
In addition to the buses for Thanksgiving, SA also offers a free shuttle service that takes students grocery shopping at Wegman’s and Target on a biweekly basis. The buses leave College Place every hour starting at noon on the designated dates. The full schedule can be found here.
Zipcar
If you want to be able to drive whenever you want, then renting a Zipcar is your best bet. SU has designated parking spots reserved for Zipcars all around campus. After you have applied for your Zipcar, you can reserve a car for however long you want just so long as you return the car at your agreed time. The late fee is quite hefty so be sure to extend your reservation if you feel like you may be late. The best thing about renting a Zipcar is that you can cater your usage to your schedule. You can apply for a Zipcar here.
SU’s transportation options benefit and enrich the student experience on campus. Not having a car does not mean you cannot get off of campus. Take advantage of those services and enjoy the area!
Eric Chuang ’17, is a Public Relations major at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications with a minor in English & Textual Studies. Additionally, he is part of the Fashion & Beauty Communications Milestone Program. Eric is a California native, dog enthusiast, fervent traveler, and sushi connoisseur. When not taking Buzzfeed quizzes or coming up with clever Instagram captions, he can most likely be found jamming to Taylor Swift’s “1989” album. More blogs from Eric Chuang.
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