Homeward Bound bus won’t break bank

payedFor students struggling with travel arrangements from San Francisco and Los Angeles, relief can be found in the form of a charter bus. Approximately 44 percent of Humboldt State students originated from L.A. or the San Francisco Bay Area.

HSU began a program in the winter of 2016 designed to provide students access to a safe, affordable and fast method of travel to these locations during school breaks.

Wildlife major Emily Adams, 19, said she enjoyed her experience on the Homeward Bound Bus to San Francisco.

“I prefer the bus to driving,” Adams said.

Adams said the whole process was simple. Students swipe their IDs upon arrival. When they would like to get off, they pull the string, which encircles the ceiling of the bus. She said even though the bus takes longer than driving, getting to do anything she wanted made the bus more enjoyable.

Currently, tickets are priced at $125 round trip to L.A. and $95 round trip to San Francisco.

Journalism major Andreas Schneider said when he took the Greyhound roundtrip to San Francisco, he paid $120 for the ticket.

“I took the Greyhound and it was kinda pricey,” Schneider said.

Communications major and library technology resource employee Jesse Santana said he encourages students to take advantage of this opportunity.

The program happens three times a year: Thanksgiving, Christmas and spring break. The 2018 spring break bus is sold out.

Krista Paddock, parking coordinator and coordinator of the program, said it has been successful. She said security and money are the two primary factors that draw people to the program. In addition, it is also faster than other buses because of fewer stops.

Paddock assigns a host on each bus, who functions much like a student chaperone for the trip. Hosts take roll, ensure all riders are present, rides the bus for free and receives paid compensation for their working hours.

“Since I can’t be there, it gives me peace of mind,” Paddock said. “It’s a great resource for student’s to get affordable tickets to Southern California.”