An open forum was held for students and staff members to discuss parking and transportation issues in the Student Union Flag Room on Thursday.
The event was organized by students to address concerns regarding UB's current parking and transportation situation.
Members from Parking and Transportation Services, Student Affairs, Climate Action Student Advisory Council, Environmental Network, and Student Association President Peter Grollitsch attended the discussion.
"We wanted to bring students together with the people [who] realistically address their concerns," said Emily Bauer, president of the Environmental Network.
Major issues brought up during the forum included the possibility of securing metro passes for UB students from Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the initiation of a GPS system for campus transportation, and the potential expansion of the Mall and Market Bus.
Parking and Transportation announced that they had begun a pilot GPS program, starting with a campus bus and the shuttles.
"We can track vehicles and in the very near future we hope to get funding for a great GPS initiative," said Maria Wallace, director of Parking and Transportation Services. "This will allow students to view bus and shuttle locations using maps on their cell phones."
Wallace said Parking and Transportation would like to implement the program in the fall if they are able to obtain funding.
While talks about providing students with NFTA bus passes have been ongoing for several years now, a deal or decision has yet to be reached. According to Bauer, the forum showed that students are still interested in this topic.
"From this meeting we also learned that there's a lot going on and students really have a deep interest in opt-in metro passes," Bauer said.
Students like Chris Llop, a sophomore electrical engineering major, didn't know that the hold up with metro was due to controversy over NFTA's demand to include the entire student body in the program, rather than creating an opt-in situation. The opt-in would allow students to choose whether or not they want to pay $25 per semester for a bus pass.
"Hopefully we'll see an NFTA program on campus," Wallace said. "I don't feel like students who don't need it should have to pay for it."
Llop sees the NFTA partnership as a chance for UB students to explore the surrounding city and create a connection between students and the local population.
"I think bus and subway passes would be a great way to get students and the people of Buffalo interacting, rather than stranding students in the suburbs," Llop said.
A possible solution to the metro pass controversy was presented as an option for students to choose either a UB parking pass or a NFTA metro pass that would already be included in their Comprehensive Fee.
"I think an idea like this would be a viable alternative because it accommodates those students who want a NFTA pass," said Maximilian Abbott, a junior pharmacy major. "It's important to have a group discussion on this possible venture because this will only yield great information to UB and NFTA officials about term negotiations."
Other students agreed and thought collaboration between UB and NFTA would only benefit student transportation as a whole.
"I believe that it is necessary for UB and NFTA to work together to increase needed routes that will provide for UB students," said Joe Buck, a junior political science major. "I realize this is just in the planning stages and much more needs to be discussed before any serious action takes place, but I am definitely all for this plan for the near future."
Attendees also voiced a desire to see the Mall and Market shuttle service expanded. The shuttle currently operates only Wednesdays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
"Students would like to add additional days to the service because it is obviously an avenue to get them off campus if they don't have a vehicle," Wallace said.
Wallace gave feedback to attendees about concerns addressed at the fall semester meeting and asked about future concerns.
"We want to know what they think of our level of service, ways to improve it, things they'd like to see that are currently not happening," Wallace said. "We welcome their input. They can always reach out to us via email [or come to] our office."
