The Hurry ‘Canes shuttle routes will be undergoing significant changes beginning in the fall 2010 semester.
According to an e-mail sent to The Miami Hurricane, these changes are being implemented to “boost the efficiency of service to the university community while reducing fuel usage and trimming costs.”
The university plans to make shuttle rides more efficient for students by changing the current route schedule. The new schedule will include two shuttle routes, the Ponce Garage/Fountain Route and the Ponce Garage/Stanford Circle Route, with 14 stops.
There will be four fewer stops along these routes than before, reducing the wait time between buses to five to eight minutes. According to the e-mail, this should improve service to 95 percent of shuttle riders.
“I’m glad to hear that they’re doing something about it,” said junior Loubna Turjuman, who is majoring in broadcast journalism and psychology. “I stopped using the shuttle because every time I wanted to use it, I was waiting for about half an hour and I was always getting to class late.”
These changes, however, will impact certain groups of shuttle riders more than others. Metrorail riders will now have to switch shuttles at the Ponce Garage to reach stops on the Fountain Route; Mahoney/Pearson residents will use Stanford Circle as their pick-up/drop-off point; and University Village residents, will use either the Brescia stop or the Hecht Athletic Center stop to access shuttles. Both of those stops are a five-minute walk from the farthest UV apartment.
While shuttle changes can be an inconvenience for some students, shuttle availability is their biggest concern.
“I don’t really care about the changes. As long as I have a shuttle to take me where I need to go, it doesn’t make a difference to me,” said UV resident Nikolaus Rizos, a senior majoring in broadcast journalism and geography.
The nighttime shuttle schedule will not be changing.
Alexandra Leon may be contacted at aleon@themiamihurricane.com.