The cost of living in the United States continues to rise, and nowhere is that more evident than for the average college student in the Bay Area.
Las Positas College is tucked away in the southern part of the East Bay, which makes it a challenge for many students who commute from all over the region to Livermore.
According to the Research Planning and Institutional Effectiveness Department at LPC, only about 22% of enrolled students actually live in Livermore.
A large percentage comes from Tracy, about 16%. Without traffic, that’s around a 30-minute drive. Let’s remind ourselves that this is the Bay Area and traffic is the norm, not the exception. A drive that should take 30 minutes often ends up taking close to an hour, especially during early mornings or late evenings.
LPC frequently conducts surveys led by the R-PIE Department, with the most recent student satisfaction survey being conducted in 2016. Only about 4% — a shockingly low percentage — of students reported that they take public transportation to class each day.
Nine years after the survey was published, it’s easy to see how large a hit public transportation usage has taken post-COVID. The temporary shutdown discouraged many people from using public services as a mode of transportation in the present day.
LPC partnered with the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority in May of 2022, with a deal that offers free bus trips to students using their school-issued W number.
Freshman Bridgette Lopez is one student who takes advantage of the free bus rides when she doesn’t have a ride home.
“I take the bus once or twice a week,” Lopez said. “It’s usually about 35% full — not that many people.”
But there’s a catch. The bus takes significantly longer than driving because of all the stops.
“There are a lot of stops, so it takes way longer for me to get home. By car it’s only ten minutes,” she said.
Paul Le Roy has a long 45-minute commute, and he relies on the bus too.
“The schedules are the same every day, you just have to plan ahead.” Le Roy said.
LIVERMORE EXTENSION proposal. Only recently has there been a vote to certify the Final Environmental Impact Report. (Photo credit Bay Area Rapid Transit)
Some students, like myself, have the privilege of owning a car to drive to school. But that’s not a luxury everyone has, and it comes with a steep price tag. Gas, insurance, maintenance, and parking are expensive, especially when you’re a college student just trying to get by.
Public transportation provided by the city is a cost-friendly option that students could be utilizing more often.
Since I was a kid, I’ve been taking Bay Area Rapid Transit to AT&T Park and the Coliseum to either catch a ball game or explore the city without worrying about parking or traffic.
BART is easy to appreciate for its convenience and budget-friendly prices, qualities that make it one of the Bay Area’s most valuable transit options. There are 50 BART stations, so, for the most part, riders can go anywhere for no more than $15.
With affordable fares, far-reaching service across the Bay Area, and a junior college enrolling about 12,500 students just one city away from the Blue Line’s last stop, it would be wise for BART governance and Livermore city officials to start working on a plan.
BART already had a plan set in motion in May of 2018 to extend their line five and a half miles down I-580 towards Livermore. They certified the project’s environmental impact report, but the board voted not to advance the project after that.
The city of Livermore developed a land use and circulation plan in the surrounding area of the proposed BART station, which will be named the “Isabel Neighborhood plan.” The housing area will cover approximately 1,132 acres.
Livermore is a large, densely populated city, and sits in the middle of the pack of current cities with BART stations. The East Dublin BART station is only five and a half miles away from the LPC campus.
Building a BART station in the proximity of Las Positas would give students across the Bay Area close or direct access to campus. More students and visitors would mean more foot traffic, which translates into greater revenue for both the college and the city..
They could also add a bus stop or two to accommodate the BART station grounds relevant to LPC. Route 30R, which starts in the heart of Livermore, runs through LPC and eventually finishes in Dublin, is already a major route that connects to the pre-existing BART station.
As members of the Las Positas community, we should strive for our school’s culture to flourish. An influx of new students to LPC would only improve our growing community.
Unfortunately, bus ridership is declining; however, the future of efficient and affordable transportation lies with BART. It is already well established, widely supported, and connects most of the Bay Area.
Livermore governance, the student body, and the faculty of LPC should collaborate on how to provide more effective transportation. Part of that plan must include expanding BART’s Blue Line and adding a station in the city. Doing so would serve students, attract new consumers, and create long-term economic benefits for both the college and the city.
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TOP PHOTO: Bart passengers wait for the train at the Dublin/Pleasanton station on Sept. 30. The station was busy as commuters waited for the blue line service to head to their destination. (Photo by Angelina An/The Express)
Carson Pfotenhauer is a staff writer for The Express.
