Colorado State University-Pueblo offers a transit system that is free for all students and faculty members.

The transit system has a variety of locations that the Pueblo City Transit bus runs to and from. The transit specifically runs Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. for CSU-Pueblo college students and staff living at the two off-campus sites, the Clarion Hotel and Quality Inn.

The bus runs from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. From 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. anyone can ride the transit not just CSU-Pueblo students and employees.

“I think it is a good idea to have the transit because it gives students the opportunity to meet new people outside of school,” said Valentina Smith, an 18-year-old CSU-Pueblo freshman living at the Quality Inn and studying social work.

The bus runs in 60 minute intervals from the Clarion Hotel and the Quality Inn. The route extends to the Pueblo Mall, Wal-Mart, Target, Big Lots, the Pueblo Crossings Shopping Center and of course the CSU-Pueblo campus.

“I kind of wish the transit was just a straight shot to and from school from my hotel, but I am glad there is transportation for us college students,” said Ben Tekeste, a 22-year-old CSU-Pueblo junior living at the Clarion Inn and studying computer information systems.

CSU-Pueblo is paying the City to run this route mainly because there was not enough room in the dorms for all the new students attending CSU-Pueblo.

“I would much rather live on campus, but the school built a football stadium instead of more dorms so now we have to live off campus,” Smith said.

The university is using housing, parking, and student fee revenue to fund the cost of this new route.

“There are not too many students that ride the bus, but there is definitely more in the morning,” said Tom Olsen, a transit bus driver. “I think there are not that many students that are aware that this system exists.”

“Even in the morning when I am going to my classes there are only about six or seven students going to  CSU-Pueblo and when I am done only about 2 or 3 are coming back,” Tekeste said.

There needs to be more advertising and awareness about the transit system available for students especially if the money is coming out of student fees.

“It depends on the day, but there are usually only four or five students that actually attend CSU-Pueblo on the bus at any given time,” Smith said.

“The transit bus isn’t so bad and it also gives you some extra time to study while you are on the bus,” Smith said.

For bus routes go to http://www.pueblo.us/ or call 719-553-2727 for more information about the transit system and how you can get free rides for being a CSU-Pueblo student.