Cabs, buses and shuttles can you get around town — or as far away as Columbus and Cincinnati.
For students without cars, making their way to Wal-Mart might seem like a daunting task.
Luckily, there are a number of services that offer wheelless residents a way to get around town, including buses, shuttles and cabs.
Athens Public Transit
The Athens Public Transit buses run daily throughout Ohio University and the City of Athens.
There are seven routes, all of which can be found on Athens Transit’s website.
The schedules can easily be screenshotted to cell phones. The transit system also offers a free app that tracks buses in real time.
The buses cost $1 each way.
For frequent riders, an unlimited ride pass is available. Passes can be purchased at the Athens City Building, 8 E. Washington St., which is across from Chase Bank on Court Street.
Passes allow riders to have as many rides as a person prefers during a specific time period. A 60-day pass is $40; a 120 day pass (a full semester at OU) is $80, and a full year’s pass is $140. It also offers a 30-ride punchcard ticket that can be purchased on the bus for $25.
With the service, students can reach the Athena Grand, Wal-Mart, the Athens Community Center, Kroger, Staples and other spots on less populated streets, as well.
“(Athens Transit) is one of the only things that takes you down to (East State) Street,” said Jake Metersky, a freshman studying media arts and studies.
Sophomore Cassidy Bailey said, when she was a freshman without a car, she often utilized Athens Transit because the walk to Walmart seemed impossible.
“Just take Athens Transit instead,” Bailey said. “I got picked up right at the top of Baker. (It has) several pick-up points, so it wasn’t hard.”
Campus Area Transit Service
Another transportation service to utilize is the OU-sponsored Campus Area Transit Service.
CATS is a free shuttle service that reaches areas within the heart of campus and extends as far as The Ridges and remote areas of South Green.
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CATS shuttles run Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and also include a late night loop from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Stop times are listed on its website, as well as at each pick-up point.
The shuttles allow passengers to easily get to different places on campus throughout the day and between classes, and can help get riders safely closer to home if they’re spending the evening at Alden.
CATS Late Night Service
Another way to ensure a safe way home is CATS Late Night Service. This is another free service offered to all OU students and is available Monday through Saturday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
CATS Late Night Service is a 15-passenger shuttle bus that will transport riders wherever they need to go during late-night hours. Students can request rides by downloading the TapRide app to their smartphone and signing in with their OU ID or by calling 740-593-4040.
Green Cab
Athens Green Cab is another helpful transportation service.
Fares are $3 for somewhere on campus or uptown Athens, $6 for an East State Street destination, and can even take individuals to Columbus Airport for $129. It also charges $3 per additional passenger.
The services use Priuses as a more sustainable way to get around campus.
The service can be reached at 740-594-7336.
GoBus
Whether it’s to visit friends at Ohio State or family in Cincinnati, the GoBus can get students there.
Tickets should be purchased ahead of time on its website to ensure a spot.
The GoBus is a large charter bus complete with WiFi and electrical outlets. The GoBus runs to Cincinnati twice a day for $20 each way, to Columbus three times a day for $15 per way, to Parkersburg once a day for $15 each way and to Cleveland twice a day for $30 per way.
A number of students utilize this to get home for the weekend or for holiday breaks; just remember to get a ticket in advance and to bring an OU ID.
Freshman Samantha Bullock said these services are useful for people who don’t have cars on campus
“I don’t have to bug people to drive me everywhere,” said Bullock, who is studying special education.
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