<p>I don't seem to have the transportation thing figured out at all!! My D is returning from winter break on Sunday the 15th - flying into Fort Lauderdale (I know, I know - MIA is probably the better choice, but JetBlue had a really good deal we couldn't pass up). </p>
<p>Anyway, when she returned thru FLL on Thanksgiving break, we put her on a group shuttle and because one of the riders had to be dropped in SoBe, the trip took like 3 hours from when they left - probably a total of 4 to 4 1/2 hours from the time she landed until she set foot on campus.</p>
<p>Other than a private shuttle (town car? Limo?) or a private cab, what options do students have to get from FLL to UM campus? Back in the olde days when I was a student, we had ride boards (index cards, thumb tacks, phone numbers - groan if you remember!) and we could connect to share rides here and there. Is there a facebook equivalent today? </p>
<p>Is anyone planning to arrive at FLL at 6:15 pm on Sunday January 15th - maybe she could share a ride with someone on CC!! </p>
<p>When my DS flies into FLL he calls Go-Shuttle…I think it is about 30.00. It usually works out costwise the same as flying into MIA since the flights on SWest only go to FLL and are cheaper.</p>
<p>I have to agree with DinDune, $30 for a trip to UM is definitely a great deal from FLL. What I usually do is take the tri-rail. If she’s flying in at 6:15, she’d probably catch the 7:03 train, get to the metrorail transfer at 7:33, then catch the 7:55 train to UM, which will have her there by 8:30. That will cost you about $5 plus the taxi.</p>
<p>Son used GO Shuttle to and from UM as Freshman and Soph. Lucky for him, he usually was the only one going to FLL and had a nice limo… FLL to UM was always a much longer ride, dropping off others. Son and roommate used the train once. Hated it. </p>
<p>By Jr/Sr years he always got rides by friends or roommates. </p>
<p>I agree about the “ride boards” we used to have. Worked out great. </p>
<p>Don’t know of anything else she can do but look for other kids at the airport and link up for a ride back to campus, even if they use GO Shuttle.</p>
<p>My daughter flew from NY to FLL once,it was a nightmare.4 hour ride on shuttle.When we went to visit her for Family weekend we 4 of us flew south west to FLL to bring her some clothes and essentials (NO BAG FEES).What we did was hired a private shuttle $80.00.We never flew her into FLL again. She was sooo happy.Miami airport is your best bet,Once in a while the school will run a shuttle for the holidays to FLL that will be much cheaper,and direct.</p>
<p>My son flies American from New York (LaGuardia) to MIA - unless American changes because of its bankruptcy, the company has a great selection of flights and often very affordable fares - competitive with Jet Blue, which only goes to FLL. Cab fares about $25-$30 to campus.</p>
<p>Thank you all for the feedback. I’m with mikemets - this return trip thru FLL will be her last visit to Fort Lauderdale airport for a long time. Originally we chose FLL since we do like JetBlue (bigger newer planes, nicer seats with TV, no charge for checked bag, free cookies, etc etc), but with the extra cost to get from there to Coral Gables and the hassle of the trip itself, that decision has become very unpopular in my household! She’s agreed to grin and bear one more group GO-shuttle trip on Jan 15th - hoping that no one will need to go to South Beach. It’s still about $30 vs $80 for a private car. Maybe she’ll be lucky and many people will travel on Monday (MLK) instead of Sunday? But, from now on it will be USAir or Delta or Continental or American or whoever thru MIA.</p>
<p>Rob, the tri-wizard train trip sounds interesting, but lugging a “purse/computer bag” a carryon and a very large checked bag makes it too cumbersome. On a trip like Thanksgiving without the checked bag - the train solution sounds do-able.</p>
<p>Perhaps she can post on her floor’s facebook page as well…I think many fly back on Sunday. She might even run into someone going to the U on her plane…(many wear sweatshirts or hats) That happened to my DS and they shared a GO shuttle that way. Most of the time he rode by himself in the limo and loved that! This time he’s flying into MIA and will just take whatever transportation is waiting outside. But he goes back this weekend as he is an RA.</p>
<p>On Thanksgiving, my S “found” a few UMiami students at the shared shuttle area. 3 of them shared a private car and it worked out to be about $35 straight to Stanford-Hecht.</p>
<p>I don’t like leaving her to fend for herself, so we always make the advance reservation. We’re going with the $34 group GO shuttle for this trip, then will figure out how to best get her from MIA to campus on future trips.</p>
<p>Does anyone know if the GO shuttle runs from MIA to UM?
Thanks again everyone!
~Zinc</p>
<p>I think my DS uses Supershuttle from MIA to UM or a taxi. (It really depends on how long the wait is, I believe, but truthfully he handles it himself and I occasionally get feedback!)</p>
<p>DinDune, if your son ever needs a ride from MIA, if I’m in town I’m always willing to help. FLL not so much, lol. Zinc, same thing for you, though I don’t believe I know your daughter.</p>
<p>rankinr: probably not as she’s a freshman in the RSMAS program and doesn’t play quidditch! Not sure she’d intersect with any of your circles unless you’re in scuba club or you sing in the symphonic choir?
Thanks for the offer to help tho, we may have to take you up on that some day!
~Zinc</p>
<p>Rankinr, you are very kind. He is flying in this Saturday for RA orientation. Congrats on the Quidditch stats…My DD is enthralled with Harry Potter and can’t wait to watch a game of Quidditch. She will find out if she gets into the U in a few weeks! When do you play?</p>
<p>I’m actually no longer involved in quidditch. Just before last summer me and a group of friends (from UM, UF, USF and Ringling College) all got together and founded a non-profit corporation. Over the summer, I worked to make sure it became and remained stable, and about half way through the fall semester I ended up dropping it because it was consuming way too much time. However, it is still going strong, and I stay in close contact with everyone who runs it (in fact, I’m going camping with the president, secretary, and director of gameplay this weekend).</p>
<p>I’m not sure when games are going to be, but they’re typically on Saturdays (and you’ll be able to find them posted at [Florida</a> Quidditch Conference| About](<a href=“http://www.floridaquidditch.com%5DFlorida”>http://www.floridaquidditch.com)). But I’ll be sure to post here (and bug your son on facebook) when they’re coming up! I usually bug EVERYONE on facebook when quidditch matches are coming up, anyway.</p>
I usually bug EVERYONE on facebook when quidditch matches are coming up, anyway.</p>