Since New Orleans is not nearly as drive-able as San Francisco, stay tuned for details on a possible travel subsidy for AGU 2017.
The Graduate Student Committee is now in charge of the infamous AGU Van-pool and we’ll 
be overseeing this year’s trip. As in preceding years CEOAS offers carpooling to/from AGU in San Francisco to it students for free. If you are interested and meet the requirements (see below) we kindly ask you to sign up via the google spreadsheet below. IMPT: This year, everyone with a Driver’s License is REQUIRED to be van certified*(details at end).
**************sign up for the van by clicking here! *************************
- What is the Van-pool? CEOAS pays for passenger vans for CEOAS students to take, for FREE, to AGU. In exchange for a free trip, the administration requires us to work at the CEOAS info booth for at least 2 hours during the course of the week. A sign-up sheet for the booth will be e-mailed closer to AGU. The Vans will most likely be parked at the BART Colma station and people can BART to their hotels. If anybody gets free parking with their hotel, please let me know.
- When do the vans run? Vans will run from the CEOAS parking lot to BART Colma station on Sunday 12/11 and from BART Colma station to the CEOAS parking on 12/17. If there is sufficient demand, rides on alternative dates may be scheduled. If anybody has free parking with their hotel, please indicate so on the sign-up sheet so we can park (some of) the vans closer to the city center. We guarantee that you will have a ride to and fro AGU. We do NOT guarantee that vans will leave on dates other than Sunday (Dec 11) and Saturday (Dec 17), that will be contingent upon how many people want to leave earlier or later.
- Who gets to ride in the vans? CEOAS students are eligible to ride in the AGU vans and will receive preference on departure/return dates. IF there are a few extra spots, then students from other departments (eg Engineering, Forestry, etc) may be able to ride in the vans. However, we encourage students from other Colleges to ask their own college/dept about funding a van to AGU and to inquire about the CEOAS vans as a last resort.
- Can I take the vans one-way? That’s totally legit bro, just make it clear in the google spreadsheet.
- Van Certification: This year, everyone with an eligible license will be REQUIRED to be van certified. In the past, vans end up with only 1-2 certified drivers. This is unfair to the drivers and dangerous to everyone. We understand that not everyone is comfortable driving a 12 passenger van, and not everyone will end up driving, but everyone MUST BE CERTIFIED in case of an emergency.
Driver Authorization Details:
1) driver authorization, goes to Melinda Jensen over in CEOAS Admin, there is some weird web form & print combo you have to do before you take the form for her to stamp and fax to the Motorpool. Note that these expire annually!
http://transportation.oregonstate.edu/motorpool/drivers/driver-authorization
2) video & test: expires annually
(hint–pay attention to the “check your mirrors every x seconds/miles” and the “scan ahead every x seconds/miles”)
http://transportation.oregonstate.edu/motorpool/video/van-safety
Phew, **************sign up for the van by clicking here! *************************(note, you have to use your OSU e-mail to edit the spreadsheet, if you use your personal e-mail it may not work) **(Listen people, I take no pleasure in being the Van Czar, but I am doing it for YOU!)
Send Q’s my way.
Thanks,
Laura Hempel
Additional FAQ: AKA literally everything you wanted to know
- Can I bring my poster tube in the vans? Of course!! #postertubesfordays. Note: If you forget your poster tube at home and the whole van has to stop at your house you will be riding in the back of the van or in a middle seat.
- How can I make my van ride more comfortable? No scented candles please, however people can totally bring ipods/iphone or even CDs for music, etc. Count on the vans not having an ipod hookup and bring one if you have one!
- How do food and consequent bathroom breaks work? The vans will definitely stop for lunch and dinner, and usually people try to stop at a place with multiple options, but if you have dietary restrictions you may want to bring lunch/dinner just in case. With 10+ people and a variety of digestive systems, the vans usually end up stopping every 2-3 hours. It’s up to van consensus on how often you stop.
- I’m going somewhere after AGU, can I bring my guitar/skis/iguana/all my camping gear? Please limit personal items to things that are reasonable, we need to fit people plus luggage plus conference paraphernalia and preference is given to people. Sometimes students who share hotels bring a sleeping bag, that’s cool, but no extraneous items!
