Imagine yourself, an Art major, carrying your heavy load of sketchbooks, portfolios, and other miscellaneous tools that seem to gain another ten pounds with every step. Now imagine, for the first three years of your college career, having the convenience of being able to ask any shuttle bus to drop you off in-front of the VAB (Visual Arts Building).
Well, that was my experience before this loop shuttle system was put in place, for my “convenience,” mind you. Now, I try to catch the loop shuttle every morning, which is more like a rare mystical creature that never actually shows up. This results in me being late to class constantly. Most of the time, I have to take the “express” shuttle to the main campus, then lug my equipment to the VAB.
I often see the shuttle zoom by and not stop.
Aside from the forced work-out and constant tardiness, this loop shuttle seems to do nothing for my feeling of safety. When I get out of my six hour classes, I often see the shuttle zoom by and not stop. I fear of walking to the lot because I have been bothered on many occasions, by this estranged man who rides on his bike and I do not want to get jumped like two other art students did last semester.
When I do call for the shuttle, many times I end up waiting outside at night for over 30 minutes, resulting in myself walking down West Side Ave at night, alone completely scared.
So much for public safety, right?
Aside from fear, this new system requires me to leave 20 minutes earlier on my commute because of the extra trouble the shuttle system puts me through.
Aside from going to school and working, now I am forced to try to take this into my own hands: creating a petition, when the school and public safety should just care enough to put the old system back in place.
Here is a link to the petition: www.ipetitions.com/petition/njcushuttle/
Lauren Evans