Tempe Transportation

It used to be I'd jump in my car every errand I had to run- getting coffee, going tanning, or visiting the bank. But now I really think about the errand I need to run and then consider my options of transportation. Last week my roommate and I walked to Dutch Brothers to get our morning coffee then the other night my friends and I walked to Thai Basil for dinner. There are so many other ways to get from one place to another, driving is not the only option. Let's explore some alternative transportation routes here in Tempe.

1. Walk- When the weather is nice, take a stroll to get your errand done . If you live in Tempe, I am sure a few of your errands must be within walking distance. Walk to get coffee or make a deposit at an ATM; its also good exercise. Please be careful walking after dark, know your surroundings.

2. Bike- Need to go a little further than walking distance, grab a bike. Most of Tempe has bike lanes so its easy to ride anywhere you like. Grab one or two reusable grocery bags and ride to your nearest supermarket. Make sure you invest in a bike lock and obey all traffic signs

3. Bus- Buses in Tempe run seven days a week till 1 am and Sundays till 10pm with extra stops during rush hour. Valley Metro buses are travel all around Phoenix, not just Tempe. Visit the ValleyMetro website to plan a route; type in the addresses of your start and end points then they will tell you which buses to take.

4. Orbit- The orbit a free small shuttle bus which serves residential areas and drops off to other neighborhoods, schools, popular shopping spots, and other bus stops. The orbit only stops when a passenger "flags" them down and stops when requested. The orbit offers many routes from North to South Tempe and even to Tempe Marketplace. Visit the Orbit web page to view all routes and see if they pick up in your neighborhood.

5. Flash- A free shuttle specially designed for ASU students with two routes- forward and back. This small bus goes all around campus, so you can get from Lot 59 to South Campus really quick. The Flash does not operate during Summer or Winter break.

6. Light Rail- this is my personal favorite, I love the light rail. Whether you are catching a Suns game or seeing the Diamondbacks play, the light rail picks up from campus right to downtown. Save on gas, avoid traffic, and you won't have to pay for parking! Plus if you've had a few cocktails, no worries about getting home.

Tempe offer its residents so many alternatives to driving. Believe me I know, last semester I didn't have a car. I had lived in Los Angeles all summer; I was tired of driving and dealing with traffic. I live on campus and last semester I worked on campus also with the School of Sustainability, so I didn't really need a car. People thought I was crazy but it was actually nice not having to drive anywhere.

Overall, it was easy for me or anyone else to limit their driving. The City of Tempe has many alternative transportation routes so driving isn't always necessary. Get a little exercise by walking and biking or use public transit to get places, you'll really helping the environment. Take advantage of what the City of Tempe has to offer and reduce your carbon footprint!

Don't live in Tempe? Check out your city's web page to view transportation options.

External Links

Dutch Bros Coffee http://www.dutchbros.com/flash/

Thai Basil http://www.thaibasilrestaurant.com/

ValleyMetro http://www.valleymetro.org/

Orbit http://www.tempe.gov/tim/bus/Orbit.htm

City of Tempe http://www.tempe.gov/