As the mid-semester approaches, students have been using other means of transportation such as buses, trolleys, and bicycles as a way to save on time, gas and frustration.
For the university the fall semester is usually the peak when more students drive to campus and commute but according to Gary Graham, director of the office of parking, traffic and transportation, there has been a decrease in commuting and an increase in bicycle and bus riders.
“As the university approaches going green, a lot of students are driving less as an economic and social responsibility,” said Graham.
According to the reports from ridership records, there has been an average increase of 17 riders per day.
For some students public transportation is much easier than dealing with the frustration of parking.
Valerie Williams, business sophomore, said that parking has been a problem for her because where she lives and the locations of her classes. “When I get on campus I park and I may not move all week especially if I have a reasonable spot,’ Williams said.
Even though there are more than 23,500 spaces available to park students do not want to spend time looking for a parking spot when they can just catch a bus or trolley and walk from the stopping area said the office of transportation. Parking spaces are located all over campus but some are in the outlying lots that are a 10-minute walk from the center of campus. So students can go to an outlying lot and use the bus system or walk. The two to three extra minutes it takes to walk from there instead of a closer lot will save you time, gas and frustration said the office of transportation website.
Graham also added that parking is available even when it’s at its worst. There are enough spaces on campus for the amount of students, staff, faculty and visitors that are at LSU daily. “The problem is that we are so large that we cannot get them as close as everyone wants them to be.”
Besides parking, riding the buses and trolleys, which run from TigerManor to LSU campus,  has become more convenient to students because it save time.
“It’s easier,” said Mel Foy, marketing sophomore. “It’s on time, and it brings you where you need to be. Can’t beat that.”
There is an 18-bus transit system funded by student fees. There are more than 15 bus drivers available. The bus transit system operates on campus from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for full service and has three night routes that run from 6 p.m. to midnight. Most routes provide service from nine to 25 minutes apart and serve off campus apartments in Tigerland, Highland Road, Burbank, Aster Street and East State Street as well as the commuter lots and residence areas on campus.
“We are giving the students what they asked for,” said Graham. “The buses are new and advanced in technology, and they are serving new areas. The students, including graduate students who have cars, are taking advantage of the transportation system.”
 
http://tigertrails.lsu.edu/
http://appl003.lsu.edu/pubsafety/lsuparking.nsf/$content/faqs?opendocument