Do College Students in Connecticut Really Need a Car?
Tuition. Housing. Books. Meal plan. The expenses pile up fast. But for many Connecticut college students, a car doesn’t have to be one of them. And skipping it could free up real money for the stuff you’d actually rather spend it on.
According to AAA’s 2026 Your Driving Costs study, owning and operating a new car now runs about $12,863 a year, over $1,000 a month, once you factor in depreciation, insurance, fuel, and maintenance for a car driven 15,000 miles a year. Even if you’re driving an older car that’s already paid off, insurance alone runs $2,500 to $7,500 a year for young drivers in Connecticut, with the highest rates for teens. Add a campus parking permit and the occasional ticket, and car use can quietly become one of the biggest line items in your college budget.
The good news: Connecticut has a variety of transportation options that can make going car-free (or car-light) workable for many college students. It starts with figuring out what’s available at your school.
Transportation Options for College Students
Close to 40 college and university campuses across Connecticut take part in the CTrides Road Scholar program, which gives each school its own customized list of transportation options near campus. Whether you need a way to get to class, a part-time job, or somewhere else off campus, Road Scholar identifies what transportation options are available near your school. CTrides also takes part in campus events throughout the year, in coordination with schools, to help students find the car-free options that fit them.
The U-Pass CT program goes a step further, by giving students at participating schools unlimited rides on public transit across the state at no extra cost, since it’s already included in student fees. You can find participating colleges and universities on the U-Pass CT page.
The CTrides App helps you plan trips and find your options, from transit to carpools. Every trip you log earns points toward rewards like gift-card drawings, and you can see the environmental and health benefits of your choices add up over time.
If you live off campus, work a job across town, or attend a school with limited transit access, a car may still be the most practical option. But before you add one to your college budget, take a moment to explore what’s already there. You might find you can leave the keys at home and keep the savings.
Curious about what’s available at your school? Check out Road Scholar to see your options or explore everything CTrides offers at CTrides.com.
Sources used:
https://www.kbb.com/car-news/aaa-hybrids-come-out-on-top-in-2026-ownership-cost-study/
