Shoddy shuttles? 9/27/06

Freshman Alex Gerage weighs his chances of getting on the next shuttle as he waits toward the end of a line that spans the length of the building at 25 E. Pearson on Loyola's Water Tower campus.

"There's times in the day when it can get overcrowded," Gerage said. "The worst part is not being able to get on to the first shuttle."

Loyola provides shuttle buses for students traveling between the Lake Shore and Water Tower campuses. Changes have been made recently to the shuttle schedules to accommodate the students living in Baumhart Hall, the new residence hall on Water Tower campus, as well as the rest of the student population that utilizes the service. While students appreciate and frequently make use of the shuttles, there are still concerns over whether or not the shuttle could still be improved to serve student needs.

"I love the shuttle," sophomore Mary Murray, a Baumhart resident, said. "It's only Loyola people, it's always safe and it's nonstop."

Murray said the time she saves by taking the shuttle allows her to get more sleep, an accomplishment that most college students can relate to.

Each student has his or her own preference when it comes to transportation between Loyola's two campuses. A distaste for public transportation is a reason many students use the shuttle service.

"I would much rather wait in line for the shuttle than take the el," senior Kristen Cucklick, who works and attends classes downtown, said.

With the new developments of the Water Tower campus, the transportation department, which is a part of business services, re-evaluated the services provided by Royal American Charter Lines. Loyola outsources its transportation needs to Royal American. The decision was made to extend the hours of service in the morning starting with a 7 a.m. shuttle leaving the downtown campus and ending with two midnight shuttles leaving both campuses.

"The changes were made for students who may have night class on either campus, who are studying with friends at the libraries or playing intramurals," Rev. Richard Salmi, S.J., vice president of student affairs, said.

But with ever-expanding lines and waiting times, some students feel that more changes could be made.

"Every 15 to 20 minutes is good, but that doesn't cut it for a line of 100 people," sophomore Alex Polk said. "They could run more frequently during rush periods like when classes are letting out."

"Sometimes the shuttles are way off the clock," sophomore Maria Bazo said.

Drivers are capable of changing the clocks via cell phone from the road. This control is in place to accommodate traffic jams and weather conditions, which inevitably create delays for the shuttle buses. Unfortunately, drivers do not always utilize this function to keep students up-to-date.

About $400,000 from the Student Activities Fund is spent per semester for the shuttles. The money for this fund comes from a $560 student fee, which is applied to each student's account. Therefore, students directly pay for the cost of the shuttle. So where can students turn to voice their concerns about the service that their money funds?

There is a feedback section on the transportation Web site. Currently, there is no feedback option for the shuttle service. Additionally, the surveys are closed for the sections pertaining to van rental, 8-RIDE and shuttle bus rentals, all services that are provided by Royal American. Tim Mcguriman, associate vice president of business services, promised to address this problem through Royal American. Students may also phone in to business services if they have difficulties.

Students are also encouraged to voice their concerns to United Student Government.

"Students can always e-mail me at swells3@luc.edu or give me a call," senior Steve Wells, USG's vice president of student affairs for the Water Tower campus, said. Wells has set up a subcommittee which will address student concerns about the shuttles. The committee plans to look at Loyola's contract with Royal American to figure out what changes can be made to better accommodate students.

"The only way to get the shuttles running more frequently is to either increase student activities fees or reallocate the money," Wells said.

Salmi and Laura Bulgarelli, the manager of business services, both emphasized student input regarding suggested changes in the shuttle service are always welcome. Changes must be practical and feasible considering the money allocated from the Student Activities Fund.

"The fund does not make it possible for the shuttle to be the primary source of transportation for students," Bulgarelli said. "People need to keep in mind that we have expanded services. It's not that we are ignoring demand, but students need to develop their own transportation plans accordingly."

While the shuttle's non-stop trip between campuses is helpful, students, USG and the administration are working to improve shuttle services. Until more adjustments are made or more funds are allocated, students will just have to weigh their chances, much like Gerage, who happened make it onto the first shuttle that day.