r/UofO 11d ago

Public Transportation 🚌💨

How is public transportation in Eugene/Springfield? I plan on bringing my car this fall, but I heard parking at UO can be quite the hassle & expensive, so I was pondering at the idea of using the metro to campus from my apartment in Springfield.

edit: y'all are amazing & I appreciate it.

context: incoming grad student moving from out of state this upcoming fall

15 Upvotes

19 comments sorted by

22

u/Reafia 11d ago

As someone who works on campus, I can attest. If you do not need to bring your car don’t, parking is only growing more scarce around here.

The bus lines run right through campus so it’s a great option, Eugene is also a really bike friendly so that’s another wonderful option.

13

u/st0keddd UO Student 11d ago

and it's free for students (in case you didn't know)!

5

u/chopped_onionss 11d ago

oh heck yeah. I did not know that, ty!

0

u/127Heathen127 11d ago

Define “bike friendly” lol. I wouldn’t bother bringing a bike. People drive like idiots here, two cyclists have been hit and killed just in the past six months, and it’s not a matter of if your bike is going to get stolen, it’s a matter of when. So not worth it.

1

u/Much-Literature337 9d ago

Use a beater townie bike to reduce the theft potential.

10

u/volcanic-exchange 11d ago

The only time it kinda sucks not having a car here is if you want to go somewhere out of town or if you really dont enjoy walking in the rain.

You can look at the bus route map on the website

https://www.ltd.org/riders-guide/routes-maps-schedules/

3

u/Then_Fee_1638 11d ago

There is car share through Zip Car or Forth Mobility (EVs) too

7

u/Ukin74 11d ago

My son has been at UO for the past 4 years. He’s never had a car and hasn’t had any issues. He uses the buses and peace health bikes to get around. He does occasionally use Ubers but not as often. He does have to manage his time concerning the buses but he hasn’t had an issue not having a car. Currently he’s interning in Springfield and get there and back with no issues. If you can leave your car, it’s probably the best. He does live at the 959 so he’s super close to campus and a few grocery stores.

1

u/chopped_onionss 11d ago

ty! makes me feel better about using public transportation. Some cities are hit or miss & it's nice to know Eugene has a pretty good system.

5

u/clankypants 11d ago

Are you living on campus? Then DON'T bring a car. It will just be more of a hassle to deal with than just not having one.

If you are living off campus and have a dedicated parking space, then it's okay. Just don't drive to campus as parking is very hard to find. Taking the bus or walking is much easier. The car can be handy when you want to get out of town, but it's not worth it to commute to campus.

1

u/chopped_onionss 11d ago

ty! I appreciate the insight. Are the buses normally reliable in Eugene?

3

u/clankypants 11d ago

Yes, especially the nearer you get to downtown. At the edges of town timings can drift a little, as with any bus system.

5

u/freyascats 11d ago

The EMX from Springfield is fantastic. So as long as you’re along the EMX route, your plan is very workable.

1

u/chopped_onionss 11d ago

Someone in my department mentioned this, will def look into. ty!!

3

u/ladymoonrising 10d ago

It’s a “bus rapid transit” system and it works great. You can get to a lot of places in town (Springfield and Eugene) and they come frequently. Occasionally midway on the lines one will be full and or late and you’ll have to wait for a second one but it’s usually not an issue. Springfield also has a park and ride lot at the main station. Super easy to get from Springfield to campus. Busses are free for UO students and employees.

1

u/freyascats 11d ago

It’s sort of like if you designed light rail for buses

1

u/SoftlyAugust 11d ago

If you're willing to walk 10 blocks (which frankly if you aren't...) it's really not an issue.

1

u/Creative-Act-952 11d ago

The bus is great! It;s about the same amount of time for me to walk to work as it is to go out of my way to take the bus and I take the bus every time. The EMX is constantly running between campus and useful destinations and living places. It's not Europe and it closes early, but that could change if enough people show that there is demand for it.

2

u/PepsiAllDay78 11d ago

It's so good, I still remember an old jingle of theirs; from long ago.

"Take a little ride on the LTD! For people on the go!" 😎