In addition to the popular UR Special bus, two new bus routes have been added to provide more off-campus transportation options for UR students.
On every Friday through the end of February, a bus to the Greece Ridge Shopping Center and one traveling to various Mt. Hope locations is now offered.
Sophomore Lauren Prusnofsky noted that for some students it is a longer walk to their car than it is worth, so it is easier to take the bus when it is available.
According to Students’ Association President Lonny Mallach, the Mt. Hope bus route, at this point, is offered as a four week trial only. “It is a joint venture between the Executive Branch of the SA and the Freshmen Class Council,” Mallach said.
The two groups believe that a bus to Mt. Hope will compliment the current Wednesday and Saturday UR Special and the Greece Ridge bus because, unlike the other routes offered, this bus is meant for quick trips.
“The SA is funding the Mt. Hope Friday bus to run on really quick short runs. This was cosponsored by the President’s Cabinet and Freshman Class Council,” Director of Wilson Commons and Student Activities Anne-Marie Algier said.
Mt. Hope is significantly closer than the Marketplace Mall and the Greece Ridge Shopping Center so it is thought that students who may not have time to shop on other routes will find this bus more convenient.Several years ago, a bus to Mt. Hope was offered and this trial is the first step to keeping the program permanently.
The bus to the Mt. Hope area makes three stops. The first stop is at Pellegrino’s and the Distillery. After that the shuttle goes to the central area of Mt. Hope so that students can easily walk to Wegmans, CVS, Record Archive, Starbucks and HSBC Bank.
If students do not want to shop, they can eat at Brueger’s Bagels, McDonalds, Subway, Dunkin Donuts or the Mt. Hope Diner. The final stop made by the shuttle is at the Mt. Hope Plaza. This shuttle runs from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays.
“The sophomore- sponsored shuttle bus to Greece Ridge Shopping Center is part of a larger effort that the Sophomore Class Council is making to tackle the issue of transportation options on campus,” Sophomore Class Council President Jesse Bailey said.
“Our goal is to provide new exciting bussing programs that enrich the entertainment options for students,” he added.
At the Greece Ridge Shopping Center students can explore more stores, enjoy a Target within walking distance, dine in a food court larger than the Marketplace Mall’s and view new movies in a theater attached to the mall. This shuttle runs from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Fridays.
“With the new shuttle I won’t have to pay for cabs anymore when I want to go to the movies,” freshman Natalia Lee said.
Both of the new shuttles are on pilot runs through February. After that their success will be evaluated. Both buses were very popular on their initial run last Friday.
“After Spring Break, the Sophomore Class Council is deciding between taking the shuttle to the High Falls Entertainment District or to go to different locations,” Bailey added.
In addition to these shuttles, the permanent UR Special will continue to run its regular route. On Wednesdays from 4 to 11 p. m., it stops at the Marketplace Mall, Wegmans and the Graduate Living Center.
On Saturdays, the bus runs from noon to 11:30 p.m., stopping at Movies 10, the Marketplace Mall, Wegmans and Lot A.
“The UR Special is consistently strong, drawing several hundred students on Wednesdays and Saturdays,” Assistant Director of Student Activities George Morrison said.
Additional reporting by Aaron Severs.Keesing can be reached at jkeesing@campustimes.org.
