The main transportation for Lewis & Clark students is the Pio Express, known colloquially as the Pio. It runs three routes — one on weekdays before 5 p.m., one on weekdays after 5 p.m. and one on weekends.
Another option of transportation for LC students is TriMet, the local public transportation agency that covers the Oregon part of the Portland metropolitan area. LC is served by the 35T bus route, which includes several downtown stops, one of which is a ten-minute walk from Powell’s Book Store. Using LC’s parking portal, students can purchase a TriMet pass at a 75% discount. This discount is paid for by the campus parking fees. Students can purchase either a monthly pass, with unlimited access to the TriMet, or a pass with ten ride tickets. For a monthly pass, the cost is 25 dollars per month, and for ten ride tickets, the cost is seven dollars. Overall, these prices are relatively cheap as far as transportation goes.
During my freshman year, in an attempt to get off campus more, I bought the ten ride ticket pass and used it over a few months. I did not need the monthly pass, as the Pio Sellwood stop was free when I wanted to go out with friends. I only used the TriMet pass when there was a specific destination I wanted to reach, such as a bookstore or a specific restaurant.
Of course, there are issues when it comes to the Pio and TriMet. Both options can take a long time. On the Pio, the commute will never be more than an hour, but a TriMet commute can take up to two or three hours. This depends on where you are going, but it can be discouraging for students trying to get somewhere. Spending time off campus often is not worth the several-hour trip back and forth.
Due to the recent boycott of Fred Meyer encouraged by striking workers, many students have struggled to purchase groceries. While some students have cars and will drive their friends to other grocery stores, other students are restricted to calling an Uber or taking the Pio. Calling an Uber is easily a 20 dollar or more expense, which the average college student may not be able to afford on top of the cost of groceries. One option is Safeway, down the street from Fred Meyer, but there is not a consistent sidewalk to the store, making it a difficult and dangerous trek. It is even worse when one is carrying bags of groceries. Currently, that is the largest issue when it comes to transportation off campus.
As a whole, there is relatively available and easy access to off-campus transportation. However, the destinations are limited. Students can walk to other locations from drop-off points on the Pio, as well as catch the TriMet at the many stops throughout the city. Navigating TriMet is intimidating, but it is worth your while if you take the time to figure it out. It is easy to fall into the LC bubble and not leave campus at all except for the occasional grocery trip. The timing of the Pio and TriMet are not the most convenient, but it is not all that bad. If you calculate your route correctly, you will not waste too much time on a commute.
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