OUR VIEW: Aggie Shuttle is locked on target

Some recent additions to the Aggie Shuttle bus system – mobile GPS updates, text alerts, and a scrolling arrival monitor in the TSC – add an element of instant gratification for those who use the bus to get around.

    It will be nice in the winter to wait inside a dry, heated building until the exact moment we need to go board the bus, and if the new monitor screen and mobile phone notifications prove dependable, we will be able to do just that without worrying we’ll miss our bus.

    We endorse taking advantage of a transportation system partially funded by student fees. Whether out of necessity, convenience, or just a back-up option, we appreciate the university offering the service.

    The drivers are courteous and the buses in good condition, and most problems or frustrations stemming from the buses come from the riders, not the system.

    We’d suggest just a couple of improvements we could make as students to optimize the bus-riding experience for everyone.

– Don’t take the bus if you are going to ride fewer than two stops to your next destination. It’s not worth the hassle of getting on and off, honestly, and with the stops as close together as they are, you can walk the distance of two buildings and a parking lot.

– When you’re on the bus, and it’s crowded, squeeze in. Take your backpack off, turn sideways, take a few steps back and don’t be afraid to bump shoulders with your bus-riding peers. We’re all in the same … bus. The bus has a much higher legal capacity than it has seats, that’s why the handrails are there. Use ‘em.

    However, space availability on the bus suffers during busy, peak times, something we feel could be improved upon by the transportation department.

    In preparation for the cold winter months, during which ridership will likely increase, it might be nice to look at where and when this occurs. Solutions might including adding a bus to certain routes during peak times or even a roaming, on-call bus for certain stops or times of day to transport those left behind when the regular bus reaches capacity.