With gas prices rising to $4.07 a gallon in Iowa, students are finding alternative ways to travel.
The majority of students drive a car that has a fuel tank capacity of at least 13 gallons. Paying over $50 to fill up a car with gas has become a strain on students’ finances.
“It’s stopped me from visiting my friends that live even one state over, because gas is really expensive, and I’m concerned that I wouldn’t be able to make it back,” Emily Kuchara, a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in information systems, said.
For out-of-state students, driving home to visit family has become a growing financial concern. Many students are forced to choose between saving money and traveling to see loved ones, as the rising cost of gas makes it difficult to afford both.
“It really does limit a student on how they can choose to be social on a weekend or how much they can visit family,” Kuchara said.
Because full-time students can only work short shifts during the week, their budget becomes tight, increasing students’ financial stress.
“On top of rent, groceries and utilities, I have to pay at least $50 for my tiny car,” Bianca Tiller, a junior majoring in interior design, said. “There goes my whole paycheck for the week.”
Tiller said she cut back on groceries to afford a full tank of gas. As rising fuel costs force students to make difficult financial decisions, many have come to rely on CyRide as an affordable and convenient alternative to driving.
“Iowa State does a good job of incentivizing students to take advantage of the bus system,” Kuchara said. “We get it for free as students, and that is part of our tuition.”
Students who live off campus are thankful for the bus systems that reach all the way to apartments off campus.
“They come all the way out to [The Quarters], which allows a lot of students to save money right now with these gas prices,” Paige Schultz, a senior majoring in marketing, said. “I’m grateful for their routes.”
As gas remains an expensive commodity, many students have begun to think about their spending.
“When gas prices rise, every trip can feel like a bigger expense, which forces me to choose between what I need and what I want,” Schultz said. “I want the gas prices to go back down.”