University of California - Los AngelesTransportation Summary

Written by Suzy Strutner

Suzy Strutner

Hometown

Newport Beach, Calif.

Major

Communication Studies

View all previous student authors

With a swipe of the BruinCard, UCLA students can ride the bus for a quarter— enough said. The Big Blue Bus system whisks Bruins to venues from the beaches in Santa Monica to downtown shopping, and there is a stop nestled right at the edge of campus. Though the rides can be long and some schedules are unpredictable, the cost and range of the bus system look great when considering the alternative: LA traffic.

There is a reason why Los Angeles traffic is considered the worst in the nation. People refer to the freeways as “parking lots” during rush hour, and there is substantial traffic in the city practically every hour of the day. Because of these impediments, students are hesitant to use cars. Yet for hard-to-reach spots outside the bus system's bounds or daily jobs, driving is a necessity. And, most would agree that to experience LA in a non-touristy way, a car is a vital but hectic must-have.