Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Ben Kleppinger Eastern educational technology employees Daryl Six (left) and Rande Jones were commuting to campus together before the EKU Rides program started. Jones said the new carpool spaces make his job of delivering equipment easier. "If we end up having to go across campus... we have a fighting chance of finding a spot close to the building," he said.

The commute to campus is a dreaded affair for many Eastern students who make the trek with only their car radio to keep them company. Students feel the pain at the pump as they routinely pay more than $3.50 per gallon for the gas to get them from their homes to campus. They continue to feel the pain as they circle a parking lot for 10 or 15 minutes, burning gasoline and holes in their wallets.

EKU is hoping to ease the strain with its new ridesharing program, EKU Rides.

EKU Rides is a carpooling network sponsored by the university in an effort to alleviate the stresses, both financial and environmental, that come with commuting to and from campus. It is aimed both at regular commuters and one-time riders, such as students seeking a ride home for spring break. And while other local ridesharing networks exist and are accessible to students, EKU Rides is specific to the Eastern community.

Beverly Burrus, chair of the Eastern staff council, said there are currently five ride-sharing parking spots in the Martin parking lot, and 10 in the Alumni Coliseum parking lot.

The five spots in Martin are reserved for E-zone employee parking permits, and the ten spots in Alumni are for A-zone commuter permits. More spaces will be added if the program proves to be a success, Burrus said.

Burrus said in order to park in the EKU Rides reserved spots, participants have to display one parking permit on the rearview mirror, and leave at least one additional permit displayed on the dashboard of their vehicle. That means at least two riders must have valid Eastern parking permits.

"We have a lot of commuter students who will benefit from it," Burrus said. "Faculty and staff will benefit, too, of course."

Continued...

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