‘It’s a matter of a meal or two, or transportation’
As a college student, times can be difficult during the school year. Having to balance your course workload with a social life is already a massive burden to carry. Not to mention the financial burden that college students who do not come from great upbringings have to carry.
Paying for loans, books, housing, can leave the pockets of a college student empty. However, what nobody takes into account is how public transportation can take so much money away from a college student that they may need for other significant necessities.
I interviewed Rutgers junior and current New Brunswick resident Patricia Cortado. She shares her thoughts about how public transportation affects her and why she prefers to use the services of Uber.
This profile is part of the series, “The New Jersey 37,” which focuses on residents making up the 37 percent of households in state that cannot afford basic needs such as health care, housing, food, child care, and transportation.
Cheikh D’Niaye: Where do you live? How involved are you within your city?
Patricia Cortado: I currently live in New Brunswick but I am from Irvington, New Jersey. I am not involved with my hometown much, but I am fairly involved here in New Brunswick due to my networks and connections at the university.
CND: Does your reliance on public transportation affect where you apply to for a job?
PC: Yes, it definitely does. It would be so much more helpful if I had a car to go back forth from my job to my house. I cannot apply to a job of my preference because it is too far away from me when I am attending school. The same applies when I am at home. I do not want to spend money on Uber every day during the summer to get to my job. It is more money leaving my pockets.
CND: How much do you spend on a daily basis on public transportation during the school year and during the summer?
PC: I use Uber to where I need to go. I basically use Uber everywhere so I would say that I spend at least $15 a day for it. Multiply that by a year and roughly, I spend $5,475. It is a lot of money that comes out of my pocket every year but I have to spend it because I cannot afford a car at this moment. I spend at least $105 on a weekly basis on public transportation which comes from me using Uber.
CND: Why do you use Uber more than public transportation?
PC: I will use Uber more than the public transportation because it is more convenient and reliable. I am not really familiar with the bus systems within the downtown New Brunswick area. Other than the school buses, I do not know the New Brunswick routes as I do for the Newark/Irvington bus routes.
CND: Are you currently satisfied with the public transportation system set in Newark and New Brunswick? If not explain what you think could be improved.
PC: I don’t know much about New Brunswick’s system but I am satisfied with Newark’s system. They have multiple stops that are convenient for me and I believe other people feel the same way about it. There is not much I believe you can really improve about their public transportation because it depends on the traffic and how many people use it on that day.
CND: Does paying for public transportation affect you using your funds toward other necessities such as food, housing, school, etc?
PC: Definitely. It’s a matter of a meal or two, or transportation. Transportation takes so much out of my pockets that I am shocked by how much I spend when I tally it up. Makes me want to use it less but then realize I have no choice but to use it.
CND: As a college student, is it harder to afford public transportation? Do you need those funds for other things?
PC: Yes. Either way the money is going to be for something else because it is hard to save money in college. You are either using it on books, laundry, food, or even trying to pay your term bill. The money is going to go away at some point. It would be nice though to not have to worry about paying for public transportation. The train fares are getting more expensive despite all the casualties they have been going through recently.
CND: Describe your current financial situation as a college student. Do you have to use loans to help pay for school tuition?
PC: I depend solely on my refund check. Other than that, I’m still looking for more income through different jobs. As a college student, I have to provide for myself in order to get until the summer arrives.
