Monday, June 2, 2008
The KU on Wheels routes and schedules changed Tuesday because of fewer summer passengers and more construction zones around campus.
The two bus routes that will still be in service connect campus with downtown and some of the major apartment complexes, including High Pointe, Meadowbrook and Campus Court at Naismith.
Danny Kaiser, assistant director of KU Parking and Transit, said construction zones and street closures caused some detours and limits for the bus service. In one example, passengers have to stop at Bailey Hall to get to the Kansas Union because buses cannot get across Jayhawk Boulevard. Kaiser also said the construction near 19th and Louisiana streets blocked the bus route from serving the area this summer.
The summer bus route was altered to accommodate construction on campus.
“In the summertime, our ridership has always been pretty low anyway,” Kaiser said. “There are not a lot of students who absolutely rely on the bus in the summer time.”
The Oread Inn construction project will affect some of the fall bus routes that use Oread Avenue. Those routes will have to detour down Louisiana Street and return to campus via Mississippi Street.
Alternatives for students who don’t have an access to the KU buses in their neighborhood because of reduced summer routes include driving or using the city bus system.
Derek Meier, Independence sophomore and transportation coordinator for KU on Wheels, said besides purchasing parking permits, students could park at the residence hall lots that were open to public during the summer. The Park and Ride Express, which travels near the residence halls, is free to anyone.
The city bus system offers route 8, which runs across campus and connects downtown with 23rd Street and Ousdahl Road. This route has also been adjusted because of construction zones around campus, according to the Lawrence Transit System Web site.
Regardless of those alternatives, the KU on Wheels summer routes create inconvenience to some students who rely on the KU bus service.
Kayla Fox, Lawrence sophomore, who lives near the corner of 23rd and Louisiana streets, said she rode a bike or walked to get to campus. She said she did not own a car and used a KU bus only when it rained or she had an early morning class.
“It takes about 30 minutes to walk to campus,” Fox said. “If it rains, I’ll try to get a ride from my friends in the summer.”
The KU transit system will return to the regular bus routes and schedules in the fall, but passengers should expect a few modifications of the service.
Two major adjustments will be the the elimination of the Night Campus Express and the merger of the Naismith and Oliver route and 23rd and Louisiana route.
Kaiser said the Night Campus Express was not a good use of funds because it didn’t have many passengers and the Park and Ride buses and campus circulators operate during the evening.
He said the merger of the two routes should add buses to other routes.
One of the extra buses will be added to the Sixth and Crestline route. Meier said this adjustment should increase efficiency and service availability of the KU buses.
KU on Wheels will introduce the fare-free bus system in the fall, which allows anyone on campus to take a KU bus without paying. Passengers off campus will be able to board the bus by showing their KUIDs.
Kaiser said he expected the number of passengers to increase because of the new system.
— Edited by Rustin Dodd
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