Thursday, February 26, 2009
KU on Wheels caters to the directional needs of anyone with either a KU Card, a transfer slip or a dollar. A KU on Wheels log tallying riders per route indicates that approximately 6,000 to 7,000 students use the Campus Express route, which runs from McCollum Hall to GSP and back, on school days.
“It’s nice for getting to class on time,” Blain Wells, Hutchinson junior, said. “And it’s free.”
Ten different bus routes run throughout the day to take riders anywhere from the Kansas Union to Allen Fieldhouse to the Reserve at 31st Street. This kind of versatility is why a sunny day in Lawrence doesn’t keep students from riding the bus, said Derek Meier, KU on Wheels transportation coordinator.
“If you’re going to spend 20 to 30 minutes in transit, you might as well use a bus,” Meier said. “It’s convenient because students can read newspapers, do homework or whatever they want because they’re not stuck walking and climbing hills. They have nothing to worry about.”
Of 52 recorded responses from a KU on Wheels survey, 75 percent said the frequency of the buses was a strength. Eighty-one percent noted the comfort of the buses as a strength.
For many, the bus system is a way to avoid the harsh wrath of the winter months and still get to class.
“I like to walk a lot when it’s nice, but not so much when it’s cold,” said Katie Crabtree, Kansas City, Mo., sophomore. But many feel the same way and take the bus as an alternative to walking.
“In the winter, they can get pretty crowded,” said Donny Wasinger, Winona, Minn., freshman. “This is a longer wait here by the Union, but I don’t like walking too much.”
Alex Fischer, Jefferson City, Mo., junior, said he would sometimes rather walk than fight for a spot on the bus. Fischer is a resident assistant at McCollum Hall and has lived on campus since his freshman year. He said that in past years, when he bought a bus pass, he could leave 20 minutes before class and make it on time. But now that anyone with a KU ID can ride the bus, sometimes he has to leave for class 45 minutes before it starts.
“It’s just hard sometimes to get on a bus because they pack as many people on as possible,” Fischer said. “There’s just never enough room and probably not enough buses.”
Those with a longer trek rely on buses from Park & Ride Express. This service provides a parking lot at Clinton Parkway and Crestline Road, enabling students to park their cars and then take a bus that runs to locations on campus.
“It’s quicker to use Park & Ride than to drive to a parking area on campus and walk to class,” Meier said. “It has many of the same characteristics as KU on Wheels for the people that aren’t on that route.”
Other students depend on the timeless bicycle for a good workout and a quick trip that’s on their own time.
“You get to class faster,” said Kaitlyn Cover, St. Louis, Mo., sophomore. “It’s also good exercise instead of just riding the bus.”
Although many students choose their future residence based on cost only, others deem location as a primary appeal.
“Being on campus makes it easier if you have to print something off or meet with a teacher,” Cover said.
— — Edited by Melissa Johnson
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