The university community will most likely see increased bus service in the next year.
After proving itself popular, the UR Special bus will continue to run Wednesdays in addition to Saturdays through May 2.
In addition, the bus routes to the Graduate Living Center will be re-evaluated before next year.
Assistant Director of Student Activities George Morrison will go before the Students? Association Appropriations Committee to ask for funding for the Wednesday Special to continue in September.
?I am really pleased with the initiatives and cooperation of the SA services committee, and I think the students are benefiting tremendously with the new service,? Morrison said.
The bus takes students to places such as Wegmans, K-Mart and Marketplace Mall.
Junior and Hill Court Senator Megan Hannon helped initiate the Wednesday service. The bus ran Wednesdays for a two-week trial period to gauge student ridership.
?We got an overwhelming amount of support from students, and I?m sorry we hadn?t done it before. I rode the bus both weeks and it was packed when I was on it,? Hannon said.
However, a few changes will be in store for the UR Special. The Saturday stops at the Elmwood and the Distillery will most likely be phased out next year. ?No one ever gets off there,? she said.
As a substitute, a stop at Southtown Plaza will probably be added, she said.
GLC options
The bus will now stop in the GLC parking lot rather than across the street, she said.
Students are also pushing for more options for the bus between GLC and the main River Campus.
Senior and former GLC resident Simone Salmon brought this issue to the student services committee. Salmon said that the bus does not come often enough and rarely comes on time.
Sophomore and GLC Senator Ashley Edwards said her constituents have told her the same.
?Students are still unhappy with some of the bus times, which are supposed to be in conjunction with their classes,? Edwards said.
Director of Transportation Glen Sicard said the buses already run with class times.
?This schedule has already been put into effect,? he said.
There are also other problems, such as evening bus service.
?Those who spend all day on campus or have meetings late at night may have to wait 45 minutes or more for a bus,? Edwards said.
The services committee plans to have a meeting with the Office of Parking and Transportation to address these complaints. The date and time for this meeting have not yet been decided.
