<p>What percentage of Freshman living on campus bring their cars? is it atleast 10 percent?</p>
<p>I'd guess at least 10%... I mean that's 27 kids. There are a lot of locals at USC that bring their own cars and I even know out of staters with wheels.</p>
<p>How do most people get around LA then? Buses?</p>
<p>If you don't bring a car, make friends with someone who has one. Its a million times easier to get around/run errands/etc.</p>
<p>Public transportation is ok, but it does get sketchy at night.</p>
<p>Get a zipcar, it's cheaper. It costs a lot to insure a car in LA and parking fee is not cheap, around $800/year.</p>
<p>I want to bring my car :p</p>
<p>And I'd agree, public transit gets VERY sketch at night.</p>
<p>I could bring my car, its a crappy old mercedes. (Its REALLLY crappy) should i do it anyways? would it help me? Im a freshman planning on staying at new/north</p>
<p>Idk. I don't think you would go off campus much except weekends but you'd probably have a friend with a car so you might not need to bring yours.</p>
<p>It states in the "Living at USC" booklet that parking permits are issued through a "first-come, first-serve lottery." As we live within 2 hours of USC, we're debating if d should bring her car? Does anyone know if you can decide a month-or-two down the road and buy one? If we did that, my concern is her car winding up in the USC Parking Center dependent upon a tram service. Anyone have any input on this? safe?</p>
<p>We found it to be cheaper to send our D with her car. We are Northern California, so for about four trips even with those "$49 each way" fares (which, with taxes and whatever it is they add always end up being $150 round-trip), plus shuttle to the airport (I think it was $36 round-trip?), plus that trip home at Thanksgiving when they double the airfare...</p>
<p>Most of the time she finds someone who needs a ride to our area who pays for 1/2 the gas.</p>
<p>Our insurance company did not charge us any more for her having the car in LA than we were already paying. (Maybe we are also in an expensive area? I don't think so.)</p>
<p>She has had some extra freedom to explore LA (and beyond) by having her car with her.</p>
<p>doame, I don't know about getting the permit later - there might be availability for Spring semester as students leave for study abroad. I know last May it was a frenzy trying to get the permit! Try calling or emailing USC Transportation to ask if they tend to be available mid-semester: USC</a> Auxiliary Services | Transportation | Guest Services</p>
<p>Thanks alamemom - We'll decide one way or the other quickly then!</p>
<p>Listenkid- that would be a perfect car to bring- reliable and safe, and you won't have to worry so much about its condition. Cars in public lots get very dirty and there really is no place to wash it. And when you are driving around all your friends like War Chant and Nagooya suggest, you won't worry so much if they mess up your car! One suggestion, btw, is have a tip jar in your car and make friends put money in it when you drive them to help pay for gas.</p>
<p>alamemom hit it right on the money. I've lived in LA my entire life so I can attest to the post's accuracy. :)</p>
<p>Unless you live in California and want your child to drive home, I suggest using zip car rental. I checked out insurance rates in the USC area and they are very high for a teen-age driver even with a perfect driving record. Also, my son said there is so much traffic in LA that even with a car it takes a long time to go places (with the exception of Sunday morning when traffic is light).</p>