“I take my job seriously because I have precious cargo, so my main concern is getting the students where they need to go on time and getting them there safely” said Shuttle bus driver Joyce Woods.
Although there are probably several other bus drivers with dedication similar to Woods; there are many students that feel the timeliness of the shuttles needs to be improved.
“(Buses running late) can happen for many reasons,” said Ron Colavolpe assistant chief for parking and security, “traffic, weather, and buses having mechanical problems are a few. Some of the buses run 21 hours a day so a mechanical failure once in a while is understandable.”
Mechanical failures aside, the shuttles have a reputation for not following the time schedule. The shuttles with the most complaints come from the upperclassmen and transfer students that use the Whitney Village and Westwood parking lots. This is because those waiting for the two parking lots cannot afford to be late; students from Whitney need to get to campus for classes and many upperclassmen that need their cars from Westwood have crucial internships or clinicals.
“There are two shuttles that go to both Whitney and Westwood Lots,” said Colavolpe.
There seems to be no shortage of shuttles for nightlife. However, maybe the constant flow of buses should not only be focused on shipping students off to New Haven, but making sure students pursuing their goals and careers are not late to important meetings; those students should have priority when it comes to timeliness. Two shuttles are not enough, especially since drivers bring the construction workers from Westwood Lots to Campus along with students.
Though we all can agree the timeliness of the shuttle could be improved, students need to remember that the shuttle is relatively new; it was established in 2000. Students should not forget that the shuttle is a privilege and that we are lucky to have public transportation. Students would be very restless if there was not the luxury of a shuttle into Hamden and New Haven, and paying for a cab would get old very quickly. We as students also need to remember that we are not the only ones with an opinion.
“I think the students are great,” said Woods,” sometimes they use language that I do not like to hear, but overall they are very grateful and always say thank you.”