Students at Purdue University in Indiana can use their ID cards to take a bus anywhere, not just to or from the university. This perk has caused a 17% increase in ridership in June alone and nine percent for 2008. Obviously, one reason students–and faculty and staff too-are taking advantage of the bus is the high price of fuel.

“I’ve used public transportation all my life,” says a clerk at the University News Service. “I use it now mainly because Purdue pays for it. I wonder why more people don’t use it.”

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