Bates College - Transportation

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Lewiston doesn’t have much in the way of public transportation. There is a bus, although very, very few Bates students ever use it, and many have never even heard of it. Taxis are available, but, again, not many students use them. Even first years will have a few friends with cars, and students either drive themselves or they beg for rides. There is a school-run shuttle on the weekends, which goes to points of interest in the Lewiston and Auburn areas, and it even sells discount tickets to the Flagship Cinema in Lewiston. However, this is often a last resort for students because it’s inconvenient to plan your trip around the shuttle’s one-hour-apart arrivals and departures, and the shuttles don’t always run as late as some movies do. Craftier students send one or two people ahead on the shuttle to buy cheap movie tickets and then bring a car so that they can all ride home together after the movie gets out. Batesies are economical geniuses.

Probably the most frequently used forms of transportation for Batesies are walking or riding a bike. Even Wal-Mart is within walking distance if you’re really determined, though walking back laden with all your purchases can be strenous. Many spots in Lewiston are within a 10- to 15-minute walk from campus. Around half of the Bates student body owns a bike. The College also organizes trips to a number of cities in New England, as well as to events like the Common Ground Fair. It’s best to have a car on campus because it can be inconvenient to rely on your friends or the school for transportation, but if you don’t have a car, you can still get around. Public transportation in Lewiston isn’t very reliable (or available for that matter), but Bates has made an effort to compensate, and generally, students’ transportation needs are met—even if it means an hour wait in the cold.

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Students Speak Out

BatKB says: Bates College 2013 English Language and Literature

There is not much to do outside of... There is not much to do outside of campus in Lewiston, especially if you're underage. However, Bates occasionally provides buses to Freeport and Portland, as well as a bus that runs to Wal-Mart and the Lewiston Mall. But I have never used these. I recommend finding a friend who has a car freshman year (your JA probably will) and using that as a way to get off campus when you really need to. After that, I highly recommend getting a car on campus if you can, although parking permits are tough to get. 12345 Transportation: March 01, 2009 Report

BatAF says: Bates College 2016 Social Sciences

There are some buses that go to... There are some buses that go to the mall and downtown Lewiston, but other than that, if you don't know someone with a car, you're definitely stuck in the Bates Bubble. 12345 Transportation: February 17, 2009 Report

BatMS says: Bates College 2016 English Language and Literature

Public transportation isn't so... Public transportation isn't so reliable in Lewiston, but Bates provides great transportation for students. There's a shuttle that runs during the day on weekdays for fieldwork and errands and all day and night on weekends for trips to the mall, the movies, and Wal-Mart. Bates also has two Zipcars that are available to rent by the hour, with no need to pay for gas or insurance. And, if it's really cold, security usually won't mind giving you a ride back to your dorm or to the health center. 12345 Transportation: February 16, 2009 Report

BatCB says: Bates College 2013 Other

You don't want to go into... You don't want to go into Lewiston, so public transportation is not an issue. 12345 Transportation: February 15, 2009 Report

Anonymous says:

I think there is a bus available.... I think there is a bus available. And the college has a shuttle for students to get to shopping areas and the movies. 12345 Transportation Report

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