While UF freshmen purchase their car decals and peruse campus parking lots, University of Miami freshmen were forced to leave their car keys at home.
UM officials have banned freshmen residents from bringing their cars to campus as part of a strategy called "Green U" to promote environmentally friendly living and decrease parking shortages on campus, said Richard Sobaram, UM's director of Parking and Transportation.
Scott Fox, director of UF's Transportation and Parking Services, has taken note of the policy, but he said it's not a plan that's going to be implemented at UF anytime soon.
Fox said as long as UF students have been allowed to drive on campus, freshmen have been permitted to bring their cars.
"Freshmen need access to facilities in Gainesville just like anyone else," Fox said.
Sobaram said because approximately 500 UM freshmen buy parking decals per year, 500 more spaces are available for faculty, administration and upperclassmen.
As an alternative to driving a car, UM offers its students free on-campus shuttle service and access to three rental Zipcars, he said.
"The more we rely on public transportation, the less we rely on our cars, the better off we are," Sobaram said.
In past years, access to cars has prompted students to search for entertainment beyond Coral Gables. Sobaram said he hopes freshmen will take advantage of university-sponsored events now that their transportation is limited.
Dedee Delongpre-Johnston, director of UF's Office of Sustainability, applauded UM's decision for its eco-friendly efforts.
While she noted that UF is not yet in a position to make the same change, she is confident in the steps UF has taken toward promoting "green" methods of transportation, such as offering students eight Zipcars for rent and access to RTS buses.
UF's sustainability office is also promoting the "One Car Less Challenge," which calls for participants to sign an informal agreement to use an alternative mode of transportation during the fall semester, she said.
Delongpre-Johnston said having a car would make some students' lives easier - but not without consequence.
Shante Thornton, a UF freshman, said she relies on her bike to get around because parking is sparse.
Thornton owns a car, but after spending one summer at UF, she decided it wasn't necessary and left it at home.
Danielle Rickman, a UF sophomore, said after having attended UF for a year, she could not imagine her experience sans her wheels.
"The main point of college for people who have graduated (from high school) is to grow up," Rickman said. "Not having a car makes you rely on other people. Not having a car hinders your independence."
