Quinnipiac University shuttle service is running a new service to support the increasing number of international graduate students who live off-campus in the local community.
Most international students do not have access to a car, due to the costs as well as the lengthy time it can take to get a license.
“It can take several months to obtain a CT driver’s license,” wrote Sarah Driscoll, director of international student services, in an email to The Chronicle. “Additionally, some students don’t intend to drive in the U.S. because it can be cost-prohibitive. The CT transit public bus routes and schedules are limited and it can be intimidating to learn the system.”
This new service not only provides transportation to class, but helps avoid the expenses of other transportation. Students often use alternative services, like Uber, however this quickly becomes a costly option.
“As an international student without a car, transportation to and from campus has been one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced,” second year MBA major, Kike Adetula wrote in an email to The Chronicle. “While there are public buses, they aren’t always the most convenient or timely option, especially when balancing classes and other responsibilities. The alternative — using Uber or other ride-sharing services — can become quite expensive, especially over time
Some students have been walking over three miles a day from off-campus housing near Hamden Center or to and from the Whitney Village shuttle stop. Now moving into the colder weather, this new service ishas become even more crucial.
“The creation of a shuttle supporting students living off-campus has been an initiative that the Office of International Students & Scholars has been advocating for for about a year,” Driscoll wrote “We have been working in partnership with the Department of Public Safety to explore the options. This conversation is ongoing as we will now track the ridership of this new route and seek feedback from off-campus students on continued improvements.”
The new service has a morning and evening shuttle from Hamden Center and Whitney Ave./Dickerman Street to the Mount Carmel Campus on weekdays. While the initiative is aimed for international students living off-campus locally, the service is available to all Quinnipiac students.
The shuttle route has now been in service for over a week, students have benefited from this new option.
“I’ve had the chance to use the new shuttle service, and it’s been helpful to have it available so close to my house,” wrote Adetula. “It’s a relief to have an option that eliminates the need for expensive Uber rides or waiting for the bus.”
While the service only runs two times a day, but those times do not align well with some students’ schedules.
“I think the service could be even more beneficial if it had more flexible running hours,” Adetula wrote. “Many graduate students, including myself, have classes in the afternoon or evening, so being on campus from 9 a.m. isn’t always practical. Having shuttle times that align more closely with our class schedules would make it much easier for us to attend classes and other campus activities without long gaps in our day.”
The service also allows for easier access to on-campus activities, making students feel closer to their community.more a part of the community.
“This QU shuttle expansion provides a reliable, free and convenient solution with a commuter service to Mount Carmel Campus throughout the week for students to attend class, work on-campus jobs, and access Quinnipiac services like the RecWell, library and so much more,” Driscoll wrote.
The benefits of this service expand to all Quinnipiac students as well.
“Even students that have a car may find that by taking this shuttle they can save money and not need to worry about finding a parking spot on campus,” Driscoll wrote.
Students will also have easier access to support local businesses. This includes the stop at Dickerman Street /Whitney Ave., which brings students to the shopping center where Fresh Greens and Proteins and Latte Soul are located.
Since this service has been in the planning stages for a year, there were several steps and research involved before it was officially launched.
“We looked at qualitative and quantitative survey data and gathered that a shuttle service for off-campus students would dramatically improve their experience,” Driscoll wrote.
Driscoll and her team mapped out the addresses of where said international students live, as the university-offered graduate housing fills up quickly and doesn’t gets filled out fast and doesn’t offer many spots. They found that approximately 40 students live within close walking distance of Hamden Center and Whitney Ave.
After gathering this information, they proposed that an existing shuttle divert from its schedule for 30 minutes, and add the two stops at Hamden Center and Dickerman St./Whitney Ave in the morning and evening.
“This plan would allow us to pilot this off-campus housing shuttle service and track ridership during the semester with minimal interruption to normal operations and without the significant investment in a separate shuttle,” Driscoll wrote.
Driscoll and her team partnered with Public Safety to push forth with their initiative.
“Public Safety were amazing partners and they were very open to our ideas,” Driscoll wrote. “They quickly worked with Valet Park to make this vision a reality and we were thrilled to be able to launch it.”
The new shuttle service provides support to over 20% of the international population, who live near the new stops.
“I think the new shuttle service aimed at international students will make a big difference, especially in helping us feel more connected to the campus and the community,” Adeutla wrote. “It would be a huge relief to have a consistent, safe and cost-effective option.”
