With more than 34,000 faculty, students and staff attempting to park their cars and use the buses at the same time, using University-provided buses and parking can present another obstacle as an incoming freshman.
For those living on campus, residential lots (green tags) provide easy access to dorms and dining halls, but for those students with a blue commuter tag, the race for the best parking spot is often harder than they would think.
Parking in a commuter lot on campus can be a time-consuming, annoying daily routine. The four major commuter lots are located at the Ag Center, Kirby-Smith Hall, around Tiger Stadium and at CEBA. Office of Parking, Traffic and Transportation director Gary Graham suggests new freshmen find out where there classes are before the first day of school.
“You don’t just have to park at the stadium,” Graham said. “Find out where the classes are and decide which lot is closest.”
Many students suggest parking as soon as you can find an open space, because the time you waste finding a closer space is often longer than the extra walk.
Graham also suggested using the campus buses to get to campus from remote lots and the Greek houses.
“They can cut down walk times,” Graham said.
Although catching a bus in any random spot isn’t hard, Graham recommends using the two major bus stops, at the Fred C. Fry Computing Center on South Stadium Drive and the Journalism/Lockett bus area on South Campus/Dalrymple.
For those who live closer to campus, the campus bus system is an easy and free way to get to class.
The Tigerland bus (red route) services the Tigerland area and runs every six minutes, while the Highland bus (yellow route) runs every 10 minutes and services Burbank and Highland Road up to Lee Drive.
LSU also offers buses to Southern University in North Baton Rouge and the Aster/East State Route (green route) runs just outside the north gates of campus.
Graham said a major problem with the bus system is students usually don’t get on their bus early enough and wind up being late for class.
“Don’t try to catch the bus right before your class,” Graham said. “If there are four buses before class change, usually the first three are half-full and the last is jam-packed.”
Many freshmen don’t realize how helpful buses can be on campus, Graham said.
On campus, the Greek A bus (gold route) runs in front of the fraternity houses on Dalrymple to the end of the houses on West Lakeshore.
The Greek B bus services the dorms on South Campus Drive and turns in front of the Rec Center, looping behind the first seven sorority houses.
Another on-campus bus is the Kirby-Smith/Vet School bus (blue route) which runs from the commuter lots at Kirby-Smith Hall through central campus and to the Veterinary School.
LSU also offers night routes that service both the Highland/Tigerland areas south of campus as well as State Street and north campus.
Campus Transit is also available for students who can’t catch a bus to their car or need late-night pickup.
“Even if you’re coming in late at night, we will follow you to your parking space and then take you where you want to go,” Graham said.
Campus transit is available 5:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week and can be reached at 578-5555.