FEENEY WAY—Life as a Cornell upperclassman is filled with many burdens: increased academic responsibility, off-campus housing, and the agony of paying the TCAT bus fare. Only on weekends and weekdays after 6 PM are these disenfranchised students privy to the free rides that freshmen enjoy guiltlessly—and few are ever so lucky.
Some students are quick to cough up the $1.50. Others, however, have been known to employ more creative approaches to procure their free ride. One such student, Daniel Chase ‘28, often makes conversation with the driver first and then gives a desperate stare as “card not valid” echoes through the bus, praying the driver won’t check their watch.
Regrettably, Chase is only a sophomore and has another two years of this ahead of him. Running out of small talk or sentiments of his admiration for public transportation are ever-present risks. Chase’s current default is empathizing with the driver, stressing that “Cornell should be paying TCAT more.” When asked his stance on the bus policy, he replied that it was “just no fare.”
Not everyone, though, is as fortunate as Chase. Many approach the bus unprepared and undignified. Jessica Miller ‘27 was seen stumbling out of Uris Library’s Cocktail Lounge at 5 PM, a rather odd time for a location that sees most of its traffic between 12-3 AM. Seemingly falling back into old habits, she headed to the nearest TCAT stop.
Miller confidently swiped her card, but, upon receiving the dreaded head-shake, quickly pivoted to a defensive stance. First, she asked the driver, “Wait, my 6 or your 6?” while looking at both her hands extended in “L” shapes. When this failed, she began to insist the driver “just put it on [her] tab,” and was eventually ejected from the bus. For her, the 5-6 PM wait was not a happy hour.
“It’s so sad to see in the middle of the week,” commented TCAT driver Joshua Russo. “I mean, I get it every once in a while, but it’s not even Friday.”
Fortunately, Miller and Chase aren’t alone in their fight. Groups of protesters can be found standing at bus stops around campus asking for change.
