Public Transportation at HCC
As college students at Housatonic, many feel like without reliable transportation, much stress can be brought on a person. It then can cause lack of concentration, which could be dreadful for courses.
One benefit that HCC provides to students are free bus use passes by Greater Bridgeport Transportation (GBT). This services explains how students can get a pass that gives unlimited rides on the bus until December, and then will have to renew it. Looking further into this benefit, learning that the pass is not technically free. Students have to pay twenty dollars to purchase a sticker to put on the back of their HCC school ID in order to ride GBT until December.
New and Improved Greater Bridgeport Transportation Bus Station
Photo by Greater Bridgeport Transit
Chaquay Lavon, who attends Housatonic, lives in Stamford, and is a full-time student who travels weekly. She explains how she takes the train to school every day because GBT only runs to Norwalk and that requires her to transfer, by getting on another bus. “Not only can it become a little confusing, but it also doesn’t cover the trip from Norwalk to Stamford and it is very time consuming, Metro North, on the other hand, is a quick, straight through trip and gets me to my destination in a timely manner,” she said.
Metro North has a “Mail and Ride” program, and this program is only for primary and secondary schools pursuing a course of general education approved by the Board of Education of the State of Connecticut. Shannone Hawkins, who works in the booth as a staff member, handing out the proper tickets, explains how although there is no program for college students, Metro North does offer weekly and monthly train passes at a discounted price. The best way to make things easier can be by, purchasing Metro tickets online on their website two to three weeks in advance to get a discount. All discounts are different depending on which ticket is being purchased.
Even though HCC provides a free twenty dollar unlimited bus pass and Metro North offers weekly and monthly passes, students should be aware of the different passes that they have to offer. Being aware of the services that they have provided will be more comfortable for scholars.