You want to go downtown, but no one has a car, so you decide to take the HEAT bus. It’s scheduled for 2 p.m. and you get there five minutes early to be on the safe side. But the HEAT bus is 15 minutes late … again.

It seems that every time you want to take the HEAT bus, it does not arrive at its scheduled time. With this in mind, is it worth waiting around for?

There is always the possibility of doing something more productive with your time than waiting for the HEAT bus. However, students want to be able to get away from campus to go to concerts, shows, museums, and other events that are held in Greensboro. Without a car, a student is limited to the HEAT bus, a taxi, or the city bus. For need-it-now service, a taxi is most convenient.

The price of the HEAT bus is expected to double for the college next year, according to first-year Peter Terrell, Senate member and Senate treasurer candidate.

“We are in the process to see if it is really worth it to have,” Terrell said. “We are also looking into possible replacement options in case we do get rid of it.”

If Senate decides to get rid of the HEAT bus system, other options for students would need to be brought to light. For example, many students do not know that the city bus is free for them. Upon mentioning the fact that the city bus was free for students, I received puzzled looks from fellow first-years.

However, if Senate decides to replace the HEAT bus system, the options would hopefully be cheaper and still free for students. Students take the HEAT bus because of the convenience that it goes to and from campus as well as the fact that the only thing you have to do is swipe your Quaker Card and you ride for free.

There is then the city bus: the closest bus stop is located on West Friendly and Milner Dr., across the street from Pope House and Campbell House. Along with the HEAT bus, the city bus is in place for Guilford College students and the community around it.

One alternative is something called Zip Cars, which is like renting a car. Some colleges offer their students the option to “rent” cars for an hour or more at a time.

Although many Guilford students have cars, those who have car problems, need to run an errand, or see a doctor for an afternoon, but don’t want to rely on their friends, could drive themselves to do such things.

With the school tightening its budget belt, the question remains: we have the city bus, so why should the college pay more to have the HEAT bus at our service in the first place?

For college students on a low budget, anything labeled as “free”— and convenient—sends off happy signals If a new shuttle system is to be put in place, it is ideal that it is free, as well as Guilford-situated.

Nobody wants to pay any amount of money just to get off campus.