Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 1977)
Carpools For rainy days and Mondays that can always get you down Sometimes cars are inevitable. At least they sure look good as you peer out the window on wintry mornings and watch the rain pour, knowing you’ve somehow got to make it to school in five minutes — dry. In moments like this, the bike, the skateboard, and the jogging shoes somehow lose their appeal and your alternative tran sportation philosophy surrenders once again to the auto. For those who have a hard time completely shucking the motor vehicle in lieu of an alternative mode of transportation, car pooling may fit the bill. And what’s more, University car poolers, especially faculty staff members, enjoy a few added benefits in the way of parking. Carpool parking permits available through Campus Security allow groups of three or more University persons to purchase one parking permit good for one year for $18. That’s half price off a regular faculty-staff parking permit, and the same price as a student permit. With at least three students sharing the permit, the cost to each individual in a carpool is $6. Persons who wish to carpool to campus must fill out application forms with Campus Security. The nicest thing about carpool permits is their transferability. Unlike regular parking permits which must be attached semi permanently, carpool permits are mounted on cards or plates and are transferable from car to car. Reserved carpool parking permits also are available for an additional $18, totaling $36. Regular reserved permits cost faculty-staff members a whopping $72 and students $54. The carpooling idea, however, hasn’t caught on around campus too much. Linda Johnson, University parking clerk, says about 50 carpools are formed each year, mostly by faculty-staff members. Other carpooling set-ups are available for longer journeys. The Ride Board, located outside Suite 1, EMU, enables drivers and riders to pair up for common destinations. Users of the board fill out index cards with information: whether they are driving or whether they want a ride. Then the cards are posted for others to see. Switchboard is another link for riders and drivers. Persons calling this hot line, 686-8453, can get information on rides to just about anywhere in the country. Switchboard operators are much the same as the Ride Board index cards, linking riders and drivers for carpooling ventures, GM gambles with downsized cars DETROIT (AP) — General Motors (GM) took one of the industry's most expensive gambles on record when it shrunk its 1977 large cars and pushed them at buyers conditioned to believe “bigger is better.” GM isn't saying how much the downsizing cost. But it has said capital expenditures for calendar 1977 will be about $3.5 billion. Its redesigned large and luxury cars for 1977 were about a foot shorter and up to 1,000 pounds lighter than they had been a year earlier. The company has worked a similar disappearing act on its 1978 intermediates. Ford left its big cars big except the Thunderbird, which it downsized to an intermediate. The full-sized GM and Ford cars were similar in cost, but the Fords vrere inches longer and pounds heavier than the GM’s. That set the stage for a dash one magazine billed the “Battle of the Titans.” With the model year nearing its end, both companies claim victory. Ford looks to the January-July sales period for proof. During that time, it gained 37 per cent in big and intermediate car sales — about 24 per oent alone in full Extra preparation may cut air fares By JERI MACK For the Emerald Lags and 10-speeds are good for daily and weekend jaunts, but longer travels usually require something more. For those trips, plan ahead and reserve space on the bus, train or plane that you’re about to board. In addition to peace of mind, planning ahead is the key to lower fares. For travel within the United States, Freedom Fares can reduoe costs up to 25 per oent. To qualify for the fares, reservations must be made and tickets purchased at least 14 days in advance. In addition, the trip must be at least seven days but no more than 30 days in length For international travel, a good value is the proposed "Super Apex” fare, which if approved by the Civil Aeronnautics Board, will go into effect Nov. 1. Under the Super Apex fare proposal, a roundtrip ticket from Portland to London would cost $404 plus $3 tax if reservations are made at least 45 days in advance and the trip is 14 to 45 days in length. In comparison, a charter trip without the Super Apex fares from Vancouver, B.C., to London costs $389 plus $3 tax for the same amount of time. In other words, Oregonians can’t beat the price from Portland unless they can get to Vancouver roundtrip for less than $15. There are also special weekend fares for shorter, more spon taneous ventures when tickets are purchased at least two days in advance. The weekend travelers must leave on a Saturday and return before midnight the next day or on any Saturday within 30 days of departure. Some special weekend rates are available for only oertaln cities. For Bay area fans, San Francisco is included and has a weekend fare of $81 roundtrip from Eugene, compared to the regular rate of $126 roundtrip. For help in figuring travel plans, visit a travel agent. Travel agencies do not charge service fees because they are paid by the airlines. In addition, the In ternational Education Center, Room 202, EMU, x3721, offers travel scheduling services to students. • DAY PACKS • canyon & camp trails • JACKETS • Peterstorm Bukflex ^ Foamback jackets & anoraks thru Oct. 28 lower level EMU OREGON WILDERNESS SUPPLIES sized Fords, Mercurys and Lincolns. It contends GM in that time was up 12 per cent in full- and mid-sized cars, with about 20 per cent of the gain in large models. GM doesn’t quibble with Ford’s figures, but prefers to look at those for the model-year-to-date. That takes in last fall, when Ford was hit by a month-long United Auto Workers strike just as 1977 production was getting into gear. GM’s strategy called for downsizing its large cars in 1977, intermediates this fall and compacts sometime in the future. Ford redesigned its compacts in 1975, intermediates last year and will tackle the big cars in the next few years. Ford admits it will have to downsize eventually because the entire industry has to meet the same federal fleet mileage requirements. This year, the average fuel economy of all cars made by any company has to be 18 rap.g. Ford’s average dipped to 16.3 m.p.g. for 1977 because it sold more larger cars than smaller ones. Although the trend of the industry is toward smaller cars, there are still buyers who insist on the top of the size lineup. “Some people have to have the biggest thing on the block. I’m sure some potential Cadillac buyers went to Lincolns because of that in 1977," the General Motors source said. “We're up against the same thing this year,” he added. “Yes, we’re worried. But we’re not as worried as we were a year ago.” although they offer a wider array of contacts because they serve the entire state. Switchboard also is a telephone coordinator for the Grey Rabbit, a privately-owned, collectively-run bus system which travels cross country at rates considerably lower than Greyhound and Continental Trail ways rates. Grey Rabbit is a loose-knit affair with nine buses traversing the country. “Frank’s Bus" serves Eugeneans, although according to Switchboard director Larry Wheeler, the bus is temporarily out of service. When Frank’s Bus does run, however, it leaves at 8:15 p.m. Friday from Growers Market, 454 Willamette St., and heads south to Berkeley. Another bus leaves Saturdays from Berkeley and heads south to Los Angeles and then east. A Eugene-to-Berkeley trip on Frank’s Bus costs $15 one way and a Eugene-to-New York jaunt is $75. Pets can ride for $5 and children ages 3 to 12, half price. (Babies ride free.) Grey Rabbit operators prefer passengers keep their luggage to three pieces per person, although they will move all of a person’s belongings if the luggage is properly boxed, according to Switchboard. In addition to low rates, Grey Rabbit operates a fairly mellow system. The buses, which are normal commercial-size buses, are complete with mattresses and comfortable seats for a relaxing ride. Reservations for Grey Rabbit travel are necessary and can be made by calling Switchboard. 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