The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: ride sharing

  • They see me rollin’

    They see me rollin’

    By | Andre Hascall

    This past week, seemingly overnight, HSU is offering a bikeshare system via Zagster. Zagster was founded in 2007 in Massachusetts, and it operates bike-sharing programs at universities and other locations.

    Transportation is always a hot-button issue on any college campus. Thanks to a generous donation from a former Humboldt State, Zoology professor we may have a solution.

    Of course everything costs money so one might wonder how this was affordable. Steve Bagley, an associate director with the office of philanthropy, had some insight on how the bike share program was funded.

    AHBikes8_Print_Color.jpg
    Zagster Bike Share at the bottom of the Jolly Giant Commons. Photo credit: Andre Hascall

    “He gave around $30,000 when he died to fund a few stations,” Bagley said. “That guy Manuel C. Kaster only rode a bike, real simple life.”

    Manuel Chernoff Kaster, more commonly known around Humboldt as Manny, donated $31,684 just weeks before passing away in May 2017. Manny was known for his simple life, his house in the woods and his fondness for bikes.

    In a time where ride sharing operations are all the rage, this is just another way for students and community members to get around. Of all the ride sharing programs available in Arcata, Zagster is the most environmentally friendly.

    Third year psychology student, JT Gibson noted that Zagster’s competitors offer quicker transportation.

    “They are going to have to compete with Lyft and Uber,” Gibson said. “There was already Zipcar, it might be better if people got their own bikes.”

    Zagster offers their services for two dollars an hour. If you get the $20 annual membership, the first hour of every trip is free. After the first hour, any extra hours will cost you two dollars.

    Uber or Lyft could cost you around eight dollars for a mile long ride. Zipcar gets more expensive, with a $25 initiation fee, a $70 annual fee and $7.50 per hour.

    Currently, similar to Zip Cars ride sharing service, Zagster is only located at HSU. One student, a third year international studies major, Jordan Schmidt, would like to see that change in the future.

    “I think it’s cool but it’d be cooler if they were off-campus too, like at bus stops,” Schmidt said. “That way we could get to and from campus easier.”

  • Uber now available in Arcata

    Uber now available in Arcata

    By Onaja Waki

    The friendly ride sharing app Uber is now available in Arcata giving Humboldt State students and locals the opportunity to sign up as drivers or request rides. With Uber being a fairly new transportation system, news is still getting around that it is being offered. For those in need of a ride in Arcata, drivers are on standby.

    “An uber is cheaper than an DUI.” HSU student and Uber driver Joseph Marmolejo Said.

    Marmolejo recently joined the Uber driving team here in Arcata prior to spring break. He signed up with Uber to help him with his car expenses as well as provide rides to other HSU students.

    “Essentially Uber is helping me with my car payments, that’s why I started driving…I started the Monday before spring break. March 6 I believe,” Marmolejo said. “I knew there wasn’t many drivers up here, and mostly students need rides. Plus I didn’t want students to drink and drive.”

    As a student and Uber driver Marmolejo manages to balance school and work. Uber driving is an easy process for him, and he likes the pay.

    “Yes! [Uber driving is] Very flexible, I’m taking 19 units so it works with my schedule,” Marmolejo said. “I just turn on the app, tell it I’m online, the signal goes out to everyone on the app, and within 3 sec you have a request. But it’s not that fast all the time.”

    Although Uber takes a portion of the drivers’ money, Marmolejo still feels that he makes pretty good money.

    “I get 80 percent and Uber takes 2o percent. For example I had a ride from Manila to Eureka then  back to campus, and the rider paid $14. So I got $12 out of that,” Marmolejo said.

    Being that Marmolejo is a relatively new driver he hasn’t had any out of the ordinary experiences with any riders yet. But he still wants to take extra precautions for any accidents that may happen in the car with a rider.

    “I’ve been thinking about putting plastic in my back seat in case of any accidents. Somebody was also telling me to get pepper spray, mace, and a dash cam for safety reasons,” Marmolejo said .

    Students like Reggie McGrue who have taken an Uber more than once recalls his experiences with the drivers to be relatively well.

    “It’s hella convenient and cheap,” McGrue said. “Like $5 and some change from my house to library circle[about 10 minutes]. I had three different drivers…one was older, one was a firefighter and the other one was driving as a second job. All local people from Humboldt- nice cars too.”

    HSU student Leylah Teal, also a user of the Uber app, says her rides are always comfortable. During most of her rides she was able to chose the music or plug up her phone to the drivers AUX cord, and listen to her music.

    “I’ve taken an Uber a few times just to get around town, and maybe sometimes to go to Eureka, and almost like every time I was able to ride to favorite songs. It makes the rides that much more chill,” Teal said. “I wasn’t all weirded out by none of the Uber drivers I’ve had; at least not yet!”