Central Park. Trader Joe’s. Lincoln Center. What do these places all have in common? They are easily accessible by Fordham’s Ram Van. The Ram Van is the university’s intercampus transportation that takes students to and from the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses for $3.50 each way. 

The New York City public transportation system is undeniably great, despite its flaws, but the Ram Van can be quiet, temperature-controlled and less crowded. However, and this is a big however, Fordham students are incredibly privileged to have this sort of accommodation. Thousands of New Yorkers have to depend solely on the city’s public transit system, whose flaws can often be of great hindrance in the direst of circumstances. 

It’s the same with attending Fordham University in general: We students have a responsibility to understand our privilege and educate ourselves about why the university decided to have intercampus transportation in the first place. With that being said, as a student and young person, the Ram Van is one of Fordham’s best assets and is pretty much unmatched.

Yes, the subway or buses can take you to hundreds of destinations around NYC for $2.75 each way. However, when it comes to taking classes at Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus or working at an internship in Midtown, these aren’t always the best options. 

Despite occasional traffic, the Ram Van is a great way to commute to the center of Manhattan and ensure timeliness thanks to its every-half-hour departures. This negates any opportunity for subway line repairs, sudden stops or accidents on the rails and accidently missing your train or bus by seconds, all obstacles that have hindered me when I had to be somewhere on time. The Ram Van might run into traffic once in a while, but nearly every ride I’ve had at non-rush hour times was smooth and faster than expected. 

The Ram Van can also just be quieter. Sure, sometimes the noise of the train hitting the rails at intense speeds can be hypnotizing, the sound of a crying baby can be humbling or the loud hip-hop music acting as a backdrop for eclectic dancing can be exciting, but there are days which call for quiet. 

Most of the time in a Ram Van, everyone is in their own world. The driver might play some light music to keep themselves alert for the ride, but they are usually respectful and maintain low or normal volumes. If you’re an already high-strung, stressed and anxious person like most New Yorkers, a quiet commute can be the best thing for you.

Out of all this, my favorite part about the Ram Van is that you are guaranteed a seat throughout the whole ride. A seemingly small detail often taken for granted by city outsiders, sitting down before or after an exhausting day is something I have learned to be incredibly grateful for. 

Sure, you might be able to secure a seat at least some point during your subway or bus ride, but it’s never guaranteed. You might also be sitting next to someone eating loudly with their mouth open, or worse, someone who won’t stop talking the entire ride. Most New Yorkers are on their feet for long periods of time anyway, so being able to sit down during a commute is almost as rare and amazing as having an air conditioning unit in your apartment. 

Since you have to purchase Ram Van tickets ahead of time and only a small number of students can fit in the van at once, you know that even if your day was terrible, at least your ride will be relatively comfortable. 

Use the Ram Van while you’re here. Better yet, take classes at Lincoln Center, and then you can take the Ram Van to class for no charge. Although we are so privileged to have this as part of our college experience, we have to remember that the subway can take us to more places than just Midtown.