Some students view the new heated bus shelter as necessary salvation from harsh Buffalo winters, but not every student is sold on the impact of the idea.
Though UB has taken steps to make busing safer and easier for students, some think UB's new swipe system and upcoming heated bus shelter outside O'Brian Hall may cause more issues than solutions.
Ivan Chao, a sophomore intended communication major, thinks the current state of campus transportation is "disorganized."
Maria Wallace, the director of Parking and Transportation Services, said UB put a lot of research into the design process and location, taking the utilities, existing infrastructure and cost into account.
"Students will have the option during pleasant weather to wait at the [existing] shelter within Flint Loop, and then during inclement weather they'll have the option of waiting in the heated shelter," Wallace said.
Chao said the location of the heated shelter, at North Campus' Flint Loop, could cause traffic and safety issues for students.
The South Campus pick-up station is next to Hochstetter Hall, and because the heated shelter is going to be adjacent to O'Brian, Chao worries students are going to run into the Flint Loop to get a seat on the bus. He also thinks students will over pack the heated shelter because they are desperate for heat in the winter months.
Assistant Director of Transportation Services Chris Austin doesn't think the number of students waiting at the new stop will be a problem.
"There has never been an issue, historically, with people waiting for buses at key periods," Austin said.
He thinks the Stampede system adjusts to the increase in the amount of student traffic at peak times of the day.
Rahul Ghera, a junior architecture major, is pleased with the location of the coming heated stop.
"It's definitely needed by now," he said.
Ghera thinks the area by O'Brian Hall is a "good hang-out area," and he hopes the heated stops expand to the spots by the Student Union and on South Campus. Most of his classes are on South and he has no qualms with how the buses have been running.
Though Chao is excited about the new heated bus stop, he feels the location of the shelter adds to what he calls the mismanagement of the bus system as a whole.
Chao, who lives near South Campus, said he often freezes at the Flint Loop bus stop for nearly an hour toward the end of the day.
"I feel that the UB Stampede is very inconsistent," Chao said. "The time it takes to wait for a bus greatly varies."
The time he spends waiting for a bus going to and from South Campus varies between 10 to 40 minutes, he said. Chao thinks Transportation Services' top priority should be a more organized bus system.
Chao also thinks Transportation Services needs to ensure buses are on schedule. He feels the office needs to take into account the time it takes for loading and unloading the bus.
"If students are experiencing delays that are not in line with the posted bus schedule, then they should reach out to our office," Austin said.
Joseph Oot, a junior environmental design major, thinks the swipe system, which was implemented in the beginning of the semester, slows down the buses. People have to run to classes, and the time it takes for everyone to swipe is too long, he said.
Austin said the swipe system does not impede the loading time for buses.
Wallace said her office has "been out there first-hand," observing students and staff members boarding the buses.
She said they did not see any delay due to the swipe system and believes students are becoming "acclimated" to the process.
Chao is dependent on the bus system to get him to and from his South Campus home. Oot and Chao think there are an adequate number of South Campus buses, but they are poorly organized.
"The number of buses is satisfactory; it's the number of stops that causes issues," Oot said.
He believes the large number of buses is an environmental concern as well. He said too many buses go between Ellicott Complex and the Student Union, and he wants Transportation Services to build a climate-controlled tunnel to clear the unnecessary traffic.
Austin said the buses traveling between Ellicott and Lee Loop transport approximately 7,000 to 8,000 students per day.
Wallace said if students are having issues with the bus system, they should feel free to contact Transportation Services. She said students can comment, complain or suggest at any time and know that their voices will be heard.
Austin hopes students bring their "compliments or complaints" to the office.
email: news@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
