Travel and Transportation

Travel to Lawrence Arrange your flight to Kansas City International Airport (KCI). You will see "MCI", the airlines' names for this airport, on your tickets and baggage claims. KCI is about sixty miles from Lawrence. It takes about an hour to travel from the airport to Lawrence.

Ask your KU faculty host whether they plan to arrange for someone to meet you at Kansas City International Airport. If that is not the case, you will need to arrange shuttle transportation from KCI to Lawrence, Kansas. Do not use a taxi - it is very expensive!
Getting around in Lawrence

If you live close to the campus and downtown, you will be able to walk to many of the places you would want to go. You might also want to use a bicycle for some of your transportation needs. (See “Bicycle Information”.)

Lawrence has two bus systems. We have the campus “KU on Wheels” system that runs ONLY when KU classes are in session (Monday through Friday during the school year, except during breaks) and we have the city system called The “T”, which runs Monday through Saturday. There is no bus on Sundays. Visiting international scholars usually qualify for a free pass for the KU on Wheels system. Without a pass, a one-way ride is $1.00 (exact change is required). Learn more at: http://www.ku.edu/~kuwheels/. The “T” costs 75 cents per trip at this time, and will cost $1.00 per trip beginning in January of 2008 (exact change only!). Buses come only about every 45 minutes. There is no “T” service on Sundays or holidays. Learn more at http://www.lawrencetransit.org/guide/.

Lawrence also has a couple of taxi companies. It currently costs $9 (per-person, one-way) to take a taxi cab to any destination in Lawrence. For each additional person the cost is $2.00.

The easiest way to get around in Lawrence is to have your own car if you can afford one and you will be here for awhile. (See “Car Information”.)

Bicycle Information Places to Buy

• Re-Cyclery, 315 North 2nd Street, sells refurbished used bikes of all sorts
• Sunflower Outdoor and Bike Shop, 804 Massachusetts, 843-5000
(If you don’t see what you want, then ask a salesperson. They often have less expensive bikes available, but not on display.)
• Cycle Works, 2121 Kasold #A, 842-6363
• Target, 3201 Iowa, 832-0660 (prices start around $60)
• Classified ads in the University Daily Kansan or the Lawrence Journal World, campus bulletin boards, or place your own “want to buy” ad

Theft

• Bicycle theft is a problem here, as it is most everywhere. You must definitely buy and use a lock! It is legal to lock your bike to a parking meter, as long as it is NOT serving a handicapped space. Be sure not to block the sidewalk or any handrails when you park your bike. Also it is not legal to lock your bike to trees, traffic signs, utility poles, or streetlights (although in fact I have often seen bikes locked to trees).

Safety

• Bicyclists are strongly encouraged to wear helmets at all times.
• Ride with normal traffic flow and ride to the right side of the roadway. If the lane width allows, stay two feet from the curb or roadside edge, which will allow you maneuvering space to avoid debris or potholes.

Laws to Abide

• You may ride on sidewalks, except in downtown Lawrence. You may NOT ride a bicycle on the sidewalks downtown, but you can walk with one.
• Bicycles are required to stop at all stop signs and to follow all other rules of the road. Failure to do so can result in a citation by the City of Lawrence Municipal Court.
• A headlight is required by city ordinance while operating a bicycle at night. The headlight must be visible at 500 feet ahead.
• Also at night, you must have a rear reflector visible at least 500 feet behind.
• Bicycles don’t have to be registered, BUT if your bike is stolen, having it registered can help you to recover your bike. A City of Lawrence bike sticker can be obtained for $1.00 at the Lawrence Police Department.
• “Narrow Width Lane” means that the lane is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side.
• Persons riding bicycles on a roadway shall not ride more than two side-by-side, except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.
• Wherever a usable path for bicycles has been provided next to a roadway, bicycle riders must use the path and not the roadway.

Car Information Driver’s License: First, you must have a valid drivers’ license to operate a car. Contact the Driver License Examination office at 843-9593 for more information. The office is located at 1035 N. 3rd Street, in the I-70 business center. You will have to take a written test over Kansas traffic laws, an eye test, and a driving test. They are open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can get the Kansas Drivers Handbook from them to study before taking the test. When you go to apply, you will need to take your travel documents (passport, visa, I-94, and DS2019).

Insurance: You are required by law to have automobile liability insurance. You must have insurance to own and operate a car, and you have to keep the card you will get from the insurance company in your car. You must be able to show proof of insurance if you are stopped by the police. The cost depends on many factors, and you should contact several insurance companies to look for the best rate.

Purchasing the Car: It can be helpful to ask an American friend to assist you in buying a car. You can do some research first to learn about average prices and reliability by consulting the Kelley Blue Book (http://www.kbb.com/) and Consumer Reports (http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/index.htm). You must test-drive the car before you buy it, and you should really have an auto-mechanic examine the car also. There will be a fee for this, but it could prevent you from paying for expensive repairs later on.

When you purchase the vehicle, the seller must sign the title in the presence of a notary. The title is the official document which states that you are the owner of the car. It will be changed to your name when you register the car. Do not pay for the car until the title is signed over to you by the owner.

Registering the car and getting a license plate: Registering and licensing are done at the Douglas County Courthouse at 11th and Massachusetts Street. To purchase license plates (also called “tags”), you will need to have the car title and proof of insurance. If you bought the car from a dealer and paid the sales tax, you will need proof of that also. The cost of the tags will depend on the weight of the car and can vary from $15 to $35. You may also have to pay sales tax and Kansas registration tax. The tag must be renewed every year and you will have to pay property tax on the car when you renew the tag. That amount depends on the value of your car.

Maintenance and Repairs: Be sure to check your oil and coolant regularly. Look in the yellow pages under “Automobile Repairing and Service” to find a place to get your car checked or repaired, or ask friends for a recommendation. Before agreeing to any repairs, it’s a good idea to get a written estimate of the cost. Never tell a mechanic to just fix everything that is wrong. You could pay more than the car is worth.

Car Accidents: If you are involved in a car accident, do not move your car. Call 911 and wait for the police to arrive. Be sure to get the name and address of the other driver, their drivers’ license number, and the name of their insurance company. The other driver will want to get this information from you also. Contact your insurance company as soon as possible after the accident.Additional Resources: If you have any questions, the Consumer Affairs office (819 Vermont, 843-4608) can be of help. They have a lot of information on purchasing a vehicle. You can also consult them with complaints about specific businesses or companies. Legal Services for Students (148 Burge Union, 864-5665) can also provide assistance and legal advice in these matters.