Buses, shuttles and automobiles
Clackamas Community College works to improve
transportation options for students
BY TONY PELLICO
Do you have trouble getting to school? Do you not
have a car or are spending too much money on gas?
Do you dislike having to transfer through many bus
services? Clackamas Community College has a few
transportation options that may suit your needs.
One option is CCC’ s free shuttle service, entitled
“ CCC Xpress Shuttle.” This offers free service
for anyone going to and from the Oregon City
campus, the Harmony campus and the Clackamas
Town Center. The service provides a convenient
transportation source for students who do not
possess a personal vehicle, or students who have
to ride the bus.
It has affected many students positively. The
sh u ttle’ s average ridership doubled since its
inception in 2011.
According to Luke Norman, CCC’s Transportation
Systems Coordinator, a personal vehicle should
not be the only way for an Oregonian to be able to
participate in society. Norman, a graduate of the
University of Michigan, was fortunate to have a
secure transportation system from Ann Arbor, Mich,
to the other suburbs. For people who commute from
Detroit to the other sprawling Michigan suburbs,
bus services are limited and “ their only option is
to drive to work,” said Norman.
Now a resident of Northeast Portland, Norman is
the Transportation Coordinator at CCC. According
to Norman, “ One third of students passed up or
dropped a class due to a transportation issue.”
which travel to and from both campuses often.
The first shuttle goes to and from the CTC and
Oregon City campus runs between 730 a.m. and 6
p.m., Monday through Thursday. The shuttle bus
going to and from the CTC, Oregon City campus
and Harmony campus runs between 6:45 a.m. and
3:45 p.m., Monday through Thursday. On Fridays,
the only shuttle that runs is the one going to and
from the CTC and Oregon City campus, running
between 7:30 a.m. and 11:05 a.m.
Students from places such as West Linn don’t
live close enough to the shuttle for easy access,
so driving is the only w ay to travel w ithout
a bus transfer in Oregon City. Norman said he
understands this, stating “ Driving is still a key
part of the transportation community.”
This is a concept more realized by Tristan
Stallcup, an 18-year-old resident of W est Linn
and CCC freshman who drives to school by himself.
He views this as a personal luxury, but would like
to begin carpooling soon. “ Right now with school
Brad Winslow, a 21-year-old student stated, just starting, it’s hard,” Stallcup said. “ Everyone’ s
“ [My parents] can’t really get a car right now, so schedules are up in the air,” he added.
Luckily, drivelessconnect.com is dedicated to
it’s not like I can borrow one of my parents’ cars.”
Winslow said that the shuttle is both convenient, helping students find a carpool partner. Students
can sign up for the program by simply using their
necessary, and also saves a lot of time.
Students can find the CCC Xpress Shuttle parked @student.clackamas.edu email address.
in the CCC bus roundabout, throughout various
For a Q&A with Luke Norman, visit theclackamasprint.com
times of the day.
There are currently two shuttles in operation,
A recent survey also found that transportation
is the third biggest barrier between students and
their academic goals at Clackamas. The shuttle has
already begun to help that cause.
“ One third of
students passed
up or dropped
adassduetoa
transportation
issue.”
Luke Norman
photo by Debbie Fox
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