‘Keeping every dollar is crucial at this point in my life’
Kayasha Freeman is a student at Rutgers who regularly commutes from her Newark home to New Brunswick.
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 N’Diaye: How often do you use public transportation?
Kayasha Freeman: I take the buses everywhere. I do not really go out as much but when I do; the buses are unreliable. This affects me in terms of applying to a local job. I would apply for a better job but because I do not have a car, I have to apply to a place that is near me. I may not want to work there but it is an adjustment I have to make due to my current situation. Instead of working at a job that is related to my major, I would have to apply to somewhere more convenient like Subway, Burger King, or somewhere within Newark or East Orange. This does not benefit me as working at these places will not prepare me for the real world or my major.
CND: Is it difficult to maneuver around the city without a car?
KF: I do not work when I am back home because I do not have a car. It is difficult to make the commute back and forth to a job that benefits me and my career. Also, it is difficult to work at my regular job at school during the summer because I have to take a bus to the train station, and then a train to New Brunswick. The commute would be expensive and it would not be worth it, compared to the $10 dollars an hour I would be making.
CND: Do you have a difficult time paying for public transportation given your current circumstance?
KF: I do not have a hard time paying for public transportation, but at the same time it is wasted money. I am a college student. I have loans and textbooks to pay for. I receive financial aid but it is still not enough to cover the other funds to help me get through the school year, along with the summer. I can afford to pay for the train or the bus every now and then, but at the end of the day I need that money. Keeping every dollar is crucial at this point in my life.
CND: Describe your financial situation right now especially as a college student.
KF: My parents do not support me in paying for public transportation. I have to pay for food, my phone bill, and other necessities in my life. I have to pay for a lot of stuff by myself during the school year and the summer. Adding public transportation to that list is an unnecessary financial burden that I along with every college student should not be forced to deal with?
CND: Give an estimate on much you spend on transportation on a weekly basis?
KF: My past job provided me with a stipend but without it, I would be spending at least $45 to $50 per week. Getting back and forth from New Brunswick to Newark is becoming more expensive than what people think. It is at least $20 for a round trip and to NYC and back is $28.
CND: People are deciding to use Uber and Lyft as a substitute for public transportation. Which would you prefer if you had to choose?
KF: I would chose public transportation over Uber and Lyft only because it is cheaper. With Uber and Lyft it is harder to afford it due to the rates they charge at different times or because of traffic. At least with public transportation the rates remain the same and I know what I am getting myself into.
