How do you get to school?
By Geralyn Wichers and Cameron Eason
Jordan Wall was t-boned by a car sliding through an intersection while driving to school last year. Wall, 28, is an electrical student and drives from Niverville to RRC’s Notre Dame campus.
Wall wasn’t late for class despite the entire rear of his truck being destroyed. He had been on his way to meet his carpool so they picked him up.
Given the choice, Wall said he’d still drive himself to school every day.
Sixty-three per cent of RRC students and staff commute to school in their own vehicles, Red River College’s Transportation Plan said, and 19 per cent take the bus. A 2013 RRC student survey said that 52 per cent of students take transit in the fall and winter months.
Taylor Jane, 22, said that commuting by transit sometimes includes listening to the life stories of her fellow passengers, even if she’s not interested.
“Winnipeg Transit is always filled with interesting individuals,” said Jane, a business administration student. “But I’m here to listen.”
Jane drives to the Exchange District campus with her mom, then takes the bus home. If there was more parking available, Jane said she would drive herself or carpool “to help save the environment.”
Cairo Humphries, 21, said she’s been harassed by a fellow transit passenger. She said an older man stood beside her, touching her arm. A female passenger screamed at him to leave Humphries alone, but the man later returned. Humphries said the man asked if he could sit beside her.
“I’m like, the whole bus is empty,” Humphries said. She got off the bus at the next stop to get away from the man.
Red River College implemented ways to make commutes easier in 2017, according to their site. This included installing bicycle lockers at the Notre Dame campus and launching a Red River College specific sub-site of GoManitoba, a website to assist commuters in finding carpool partners.
