"Students will be able to travel to class, the library, and to venues in the city at no charge," said Joe Whitmore, director of Institutional Support Services at JSU.
But the bus doesn't stop there — residents of Jacksonville will be able to enjoy a free ride, too.
"The system will be available to residents of Jacksonville, as well," Whitmore said. "Our goal is to help reduce traffic around the university and supply a service for our students and the community."
Jacksonville Mayor Johnny Smith agrees.
"This is a great opportunity for the residents of Jacksonville," he said. "The city route (Blue route) will help reduce the flow of traffic in busy areas and at the same time bring people into town. It's an economic and environmental plus for the city."
A "greener" environment is what JSU is striving for, and it's our goal to become more environmentally conscious. The new transit system will help tremendously.
The transit system, funded in part by a Federal Transportation Administration community block grant, will consist of 10 buses, each of which can seat between 25 to 30 passengers and up to 18 more for those who choose to stand.
The university would like to thank our Congressional delegation, especially Rep. Mike Rogers, for helping the university secure funds for the project. We also appreciate the efforts of the leaders of our Student Government Association and various administrative project managers who worked tirelessly to help make this project a success.
As for getting to destinations across campus to city venues, a total of five routes will begin this week. The routes will start at Central Station across from Daugette Hall, travel along Trustee Circle, and circle the campus and the city in five to seven minute increments.
The five routes include a White Route that will cover the west side of the campus; a Red Route that will cover the east side of campus; a Blue Route that will cover city venues; a Yellow or Safety/Security Route that will cover weekend activities; and a Gray Route that will cover the central part of campus.
The buses will leave the Central Station at 7 a.m. and will run continuously up to 10 p.m. on Monday through Friday. There will be limited schedules on the weekends. Also, the Safety/Security Route will run on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights from campus to downtown between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
The buses will stop at most campus locations, such as the Houston Cole Library, the Theron Montgomery Building, the Merrill Building, the Stone Center, and all the residence halls and off-campus apartments. More details on bus stops will be announced later as we ascertain where they are most needed.
The buses will be equipped with bicycle racks, and will be handicapped accessible. As an added feature, TransLoc — a GPS locating system — will be linked to the university's website. This will give students an opportunity to know where the buses will be at any given moment.
"Most of the bus stops will be based on student needs," Whitmore said. "But all campus buildings, residence halls, and off-campus apartments will be served."
According to SGA president Bryant Whaley, the system will benefit the students, but warns that it will take some time for students to become familiar with the system.
"There will be a learning curve for students the first month," he said. "But overall, the system will work out well."
John J. Ketterer, executive director of the International Endowment Foundation, better known as the International House, is even more enthusiastic.
"Thank God," he said. "That's what I believe some of our students who reside here will say. Most of them have to either ask for rides or walk to get to places to get basic needs met. This will be a great way for them to get to where they need to go."
As a note of caution: Routes will begin at Trustee Circle, so parking will be limited to designated areas near Bibb Graves and Ramona Wood Hall. Parking regulations will be strictly enforced.
"There will be no parking along Trustee Circle," Whitmore said. "And parking around Daugette, Curtiss and Fitzpatrick residence halls will be limited to student parking only."
For the first couple of weeks of the semester, UPD officials will only issue warnings to those who violate parking regulations. Designated parking spaces for faculty, staff, students, and visitors are assigned throughout the campus.
For more information on the bus routes and designated parking areas, visit our web site at www.jsunews.com.
Here at JSU, we see this as a significant opportunity to serve the needs of our students and the Jacksonville community. So come on and take a free ride — you'll enjoy it!
Bill Boykins, a student worker in the Office of Public Relations, contributed to this article.
Post a Comment