For many incoming freshman, opting to leave their cars at home for at least a semester is a way to cut down costs or better experience campus life. But for those days when an event at the Dallas Arts District or a party in Uptown beckons, SMU offers its students many choices to get around town.
For those without a car, students have become accustomed to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Mustang and Museum Express, ZipCar, SMU Rides and Giddy Up.
With a DART transit pass, students are able to commute to campus and other popular locations like NorthPark Mall, DFW Airport, American Airlines and the Dallas Zoo. A onetime fee of $5 will get a student a DART pass for all four years of college. All they have to do is renew it each year through Parking and ID Services.
“I use DART on a weekly basis to save money on gas,” said Darren Baucham, the Dedman Recreational Sports Assistant.
In conjunction with DART, Mustang Express is the university bus that brings students to campus from Mockingbird Station. The rout also reaches nearby student apartments, restaurants and stores. It runs Monday through Saturday from approximately 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Courtesy of SMU, Museum Express is a new bus route that provides continuous service from Mockingbird Station to the Bush Center and Meadows Museums. Hours of service will be approximately the hours of Center operation, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1-5 p.m. on Sunday.
If you are the type that needs to be behind the wheel, ZipCar is for you. For a one-time application fee and an annual fee, students get 24/7 access to all ZipCars on campus and in the city. Students choose from over 30 models of cars scaling from a BMW to an eco-friendly Prius Hybrid. Hourly rates and daily rates differ Monday through Sunday. Costs included are gas, insurance and 180 free miles.
“I highly recommend the ZipCar to others, especially if you do not have a reliable source of transportation,” third-year graduate student Virginia Brooks said.
Next, Cowboy Cab or SMU Rides provides a free one-way non-stop service to the SMU Campus. Provide your student ID number when calling then, present your ID to the cab driver and you are on your way.
Lastly, Giddy Up is your service for late night rides across campus after a long study session in the library or, if you have the midnight munchies and need a ride to Macs Place. As long as it is 7 p.m. or later, call in and Giddy Up drivers will pick you up from wherever location you are on campus. This service ends at 3 a.m.
“Giddy Up is great if you are staying on campus, especially freshman year when you are going from your dorm to somewhere else on campus late at night. [It] gives you a sense of security,” junior psychology major Daralisa Kincaide said.
For more information on the transportation services offered by SMU, visit www.parking.smu.edu.
