LeAndre
LeAndre is no stranger to riding the bus. During his four years at Indianapolis Metropolitan High School, he rode the bus daily. After graduation, he began attending IUPUI. His commute to college classes proved challenging. His route from home on the far eastside required a transfer and took nearly 90 minutes each way. The inconsistent arrivals of the bus resulted in missed classes. This, coupled with spending three hours each day traveling, meant that LeAndre was at risk of not finishing college.
LeAndre was thankful to have access to discounted bus passes as a college student. Though the cost of $30 per month (discounted from $60) was manageable in his budget, the cost of missed classes and three hours each day on the bus were much greater and he had to make a change. With some help from his grandfather, LeAndre was able to buy a used car. But the cost of owning that car adds significantly to the cost of going to college.
In addition to the $2,000 he put toward the purchase of the car, in the last year LeAndre has had to spend:
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$1,300 in gas
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$1,200 insurance
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$1,000 maintenance
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$400 for parking
Now in his senior year at IUPUI, LeAndre is looking ahead to grad school applications. He is considering a career in civil law or public policy. He’s really excited for the Purple Line so that he can start riding the bus again and eliminate the expenses for his car.