The University of Idaho Argonaut

The latest word from Boise: Gas prices have officially gotten out of control. The Idaho division of AAA Wednesday predicted that gas prices would exceed $3 a gallon in the next week. Prices in Moscow are almost there, with The Stinker Station leading the pack at $2.95 a gallon for regular gas. Other emporiums will no doubt soon follow suit. What started out as an innocent increase in demand has turned into a massive war at the pumps, one from which auto-inclined students cannot escape.

A quick survey of the Palouse Tuesday turned up a low price of $2.79 at the Conoco and Tesoro gas stations. This quote has quickly become historical data as prices have jumped 10 cents since Tuesday night. These prices are ridiculous, but maybe they will force students to re-evaluate priorities. Simply put, there is no reason — and only a very small argument for those off-campus dwellers — for Vandals to drive a car at all.

This may not be a popular opinion. The Argonaut editorial board realizes that sometimes it is easier to get in the car and drive to school, especially if students get home late at night. These students have to weigh the benefits of driving versus the benefits of being able to eat. Therefore we offer some quick suggestions to minimize dependency on cars and maximize hard earned cash.

One quick solution would be expanded visibility of the Student Bike Loan program sponsored by the International Friendship Association. The long-standing program takes donated bikes that need some sort of repair and rebuilds them so they are useable once again. The bikes are then loaned out to students. Currently the Bike Barn, which rents bikes, is only open for two hours every Sunday. Publicizing the availability of cheap, inexpensive bikes would certainly delight students looking for a less costly form of transportation and could turn the bike program into a university institution.

UI should also look into carpool programs for students. People who commute to UI from Troy, Deary and other rural towns should not fall prey to ever-increasing gas prices. A carpool program would also help students for whom the walk to campus is too strenuous.

Carpool programs, while reducing traffic on campus and saving students gas money, would also be a good way to increase the community feeling of the university.

Lists of potential carpoolers could be generated and, with a modest donation, students could ride to class in a friendly atmosphere. To increase the likelihood that students would participate, an all-exclusive parking pass should be given to designated carpool vehicles. This option limits administration involvement with a huge benefit to campus life.

Yet another option — an avenue that would promote alternative fuels as well as lending a hand to financially burdened students — is the expansion of the Vandal Trolley services. Currently, the trolley, which runs on biodiesel, only appears at swank events such as alumni gatherings and Jazz Fest, but a continuous route for the big engine could substantially help students.

Vandal Trolley would surely be a welcome addition for students with limited mobility. If students like the idea of riding a trolley to classes, expansion could be in the works. The current vehicles only safely hold 30 students, but with an army of trolleys roaming the campus, the possibilities are endless.

Of course most of these changes would require money, but a tiny increase in fees would be a small price to pay for increased mobility on campus. Soon driving a car will become unpractical, and students should start preparing for the worst early. These programs — some of which are already in place — would ensure the university a permanent spot in the annals of eco-history.

J.R.