Shuttle-riding students have learned to deal with disappointment when shuttles would not arrive on time, to the right pick up location, or if the shuttle doesn’t arrive at all. The campus shuttle changed companies this year and added another route, making the shuttle a breath of fresh air. The additional route created was a nonstop shuttle that makes pick-up and drop-offs at the different parking lots off campus.
With this new shuttle system, students get the chance to follow the shuttle and get estimated arrival times on an app called “Ride Systems.” “Ride Systems” is easy to follow and has helped a lot of students with shuttle situations and locating the shuttle. Students can see when the next shuttle will be arriving, and when the one after will arrive too. The times are predictions depending on where the shuttle is currently.
This year, it seems that the shuttles run about five minutes behind schedule. This could be due to traffic or sitting at a stop for too long. Other than the few minute delay, the shuttle has improved tremendously with stopping at the locations in a timely fashion.
There was an instance, though, where I was left at the West Newton Commuter Rail station. This station is where I park this semester, and it is far enough away from campus where it’s easier to take the shuttle than walk. Late one Sunday night, the parking shuttle did not show up to the West Newton stop.
After giving it the benefit of the doubt, and tracking it multiple times, I called Campus Police. I informed them the shuttle never showed up, and in turn, they contacted the shuttle so the driver could pick me up. After waiting another 15 minutes, the campus shuttle picked me up. On the shuttle, the driver asked me to explain what happened to the other shuttle. The driver was understanding and helped me report my issue to their manager.
I spoke with Pam Faria, the parking director, the next day, and explained to her what happened. She was also helpful, and wanted to get to the bottom of this issue to prevent it from happening again. While this incident did occur, I still think highly of the new shuttle system. It is a big step up than it has been in the previous years.
Faria is working closely with the new shuttle service, VPNE, and would like to know anyone’s feedback if they have any. She also advises that students please park in their assigned parking areas and not on the streets. If you have any feedback or questions, you can email Faria at pfaria@lasell.edu.