There are extensive transportation options available in Charlottesville, yet they are not used by the public to its full potential. Some options are free, some requiring some money, at varying prices. Of course the cheapest mode of transportation will almost always be walking. The city of Charlottesville has also put in a lot of time and resources into making sure the city is walkable. Not only are there high quality sidewalks in most of the city, there are many beautiful trails going throughout the city. ”I like to walk to places but do not usually have the time to,” said an anonymous CHS student. Walking can be time consuming, but in some situations, it may be the best option.

The most used form of transportation is the car, in a survey given to some CHS students, 73% reported that cars were their main source of transportation. In the same survey walking and riding the bus tied for the second most popular at 10.5% each. But, unfortunately this heavy use of cars is not good for the environment at all. 

The city has recently introduced electric scooters, and electric bikes that are both available to everyone for rent. These electric vehicles are positioned throughout the city and currently can be found in the Veoride app. The electric scooters and bikes are both much faster  than walking around, much better than cars environmentally, and much more fun in many people’s opinions. 

The most overlooked mode of transportation is biking, according to the survey given to students at CHS. More and more bike lanes are being put in all the time in Charlottesville. The city is trying to make biking a more legitimate option for many people in the city. “Biking is my favorite form of transportation,” said an anonymous CHS student, when asked in a survey. Biking is extremely environmentally friendly, and a fairly speedy option.

Charlottesville also has a great bus system called, The “Cat.” The bus system includes 13 different routes, 12 of which cost 75 cents for a single ride ticket, and $1.50 for a 24 hour pass. There is one free route called, the “Free Trolley,” it goes downtown, and around UVA. With the bus system you can get anywhere in the city for a low price.

In a survey about transportation, CHS students were asked about their favorite ways to get around Charlottesville, many students responded with “I prefer driving to get around.” Driving may not be the best option for everyone, so Charlottesville has many good transportation options to get anywhere you need in the city. All of the options are worth checking out, some may save you money, or cut travel times.