Whether it’s a car, bike, bus, or walking on foot, students at Benilde-St. Margaret’s have varying modes of transportation, and some change throughout the school year. The commutes to BSM vary, forcing students and parents to choose the right mode of transportation for their children. Bus transportation is a must for all schools, for the students’ and parents’ convenience.
A common theme is the majority of students are not taking the bus. “I have my license, and before that, my parents would just drive me to school,” sophomore Carly Kreger said.
Trending over the years, students seem to have not taken the bus as they get older due to older siblings or themselves getting their licenses. “At the time I rode in the car with my sister, but I did take the bus in junior high,” sophomore Harper Stevenson-Shimek said.
Many students face challenges both before and during their commute and some factors in the long run impact them. “Some challenges that I face are the expenses, it’s a lot of money. Also, you have to drive to the bus stop to get on the bus. So then at that point, it’s like, what’s the point of taking the bus?” Stevenson-Shimek said.
Waking up early is one of the challenges that come with taking the bus due to all the other students that also have to get picked up. “When I take the bus, I usually wake up at 6:15, but if I don’t take the bus, I usually wake up at 6:45,” freshman Talla Hansen said.
Multiple students have reasons why bus usage has gone down. “I think there was [a] dramatic change in the bus because a lot of people like riding in the comfort of their own car,” freshman Alex Strothman said.
Although many people may not take the bus, for the people who do take the bus, they have had a good expereince. “I’m very satisfied because the bus always shows up on time and the driver is really nice,” Hansen said.
I’m very satisfied because the bus always shows up on time and the driver is really nice.”
— Talla Hansen
Each school bus gets to school around 7:30 every morning which can be a good factor or a bad factor for certain students. “I enjoy the fact that I’m able to get to school a lot earlier to talk to teachers and get help,” Stevenson-Shimek said.