Whether by choice, circumstance or necessity, many people find themselves without a car or a driver’s license, and that reality shapes their everyday lives in powerful ways. That’s where public transportation comes in.
When it comes to students trying to get to and from school, many ride the 380 Express or utilize the Cedar Rapids public transit system. However, there are many flaws in our public transportation systems, and many students in the local area would agree.
Although public transportation is available to those who need it, it severely limits the times and activities of students who utilize the system.
On weekdays, our city buses stop earlier than most other transit systems, stopping at 7:15 p.m. The early stop time makes it difficult for those who take night classes or need to work late to catch the bus.
Weekend hours are even more restrictive, starting later and stopping even earlier on Saturdays, running from 9:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., along with being completely out of service on Sundays. This impacts any school activities on the weekends or even commuting to and from work.
Not only is there a narrow window of service, but routes and connections leave a lot to be desired. There are parts of Cedar Rapids that the bus doesn’t go through or have limited stops. While it is the Cedar Rapids transit, it also goes through Marion and Hiawatha, both of which rely heavily on the city’s bus system.
| Benefits to expanding area bus routes |
| Improves access to education – Makes it easier for students to reach Kirkwood from surrounding towns Reduces commute times – Cuts down long, inefficient trips caused by limited routes and one-way routes Connects underserved areas – Reaches neighborhoods in the surrounding area currently lacking service Promotes equity – Offers more mobility to those without a car or driver’s license |
Another major issue is that there is no streamlined way to get to Kirkwood from Marion or Hiawatha, and there’s also no easy connection between the two towns.
No matter where you’re traveling from, whether it’s Cedar Rapids, Marion or Hiawatha, commutes by bus take significantly longer than driving due to both inconvenient route designs and the fact that most buses only travel in one direction along its routes. This means passengers often have to take indirect paths or multiple transfers to reach their destination.
As a result, what might be a straightforward 12-minute drive can easily turn into a 30-minute or longer bus ride. In more extreme cases, a trip that takes just 15 minutes by car may stretch into an hour or more on public transit. These extended travel times create serious barriers for students relying on the bus to get to Kirkwood.
The transit system is not designed for travel between neighboring towns and Kirkwood as there is no easy or streamlined way to get to Kirkwood by bus from Marion.
Any given route would put students on three different buses and turn a roughly 20-minute drive into an hour and a half to two-hour commute to Kirkwood.
Additionally, Marion buses start about 20 minutes later than the Cedar Rapids buses, making morning classes difficult to get to on time.
Although our public transportation system needs to be reworked as a whole, small changes can make big impacts. Simply starting with the addition of direct routes to Kirkwood from neighboring towns like Hiawatha and Marion would genuinely help those unable to drive.
It’s time for our college leaders and transit authorities to come together and make these essential changes. Improving public transportation isn’t just about convenience—it’s about equity, opportunity and ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to succeed, no matter their access to a car or drivers license.
Categories: Opinion, Staff Editorials
