FREE ON-CAMPUS BUS SERVICE OFFERED AT TEXAS A&M; UNIVERSITY
1996/09/06
COLLEGE STATION -- The Texas A&M; University on-campus bus service offers a free and convenient way for visitors, faculty and staff to travel around campus. Many faculty and staff members don't realize the service is offered to them and not just the students, said Michael Hutney, assistant manager for Bus Operations in the Department of Parking, Transit and Traffic. Hutney added that a bus pass is not required to use the on-campus buses. A maroon and white "Texas A&M; University Shuttle Bus Stop" sign marks the location of the on-campus stops. A rider can board an on-campus bus at any of the seven main stops located around campus. A bus may make three to 12 stops per route, stopping every five to 10 minutes depending on the route. Bus Operations offers five different bus routes that run from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on regular class days throughout the fall and spring semesters. The Rudder route runs a loop around the main campus. It begins at the Kleberg Center (main stop) on West Campus and travels in a clockwise direction between West and Main Campus. The route takes 24 minutes to complete during regular school days and 20 minutes during academic breaks. The 12th Man route originates at Olsen Field (main stop) and provides quick service to the south side of Main Campus. This route takes 18 minutes to complete. The Fish Camp route also begins at Olsen Field (main stop) and runs north and south through West Campus only. It serves all areas of West Campus and takes 20 minutes to complete its route. The Old Army route originates at the West Campus Library and Wehner Building (main stop) on Agronomy Road and travels in a clockwise direction through the north side of Main Campus. This 15-minute route covers the academic area around Ross Street. The Yell Practice route makes a loop around the northwest corner of campus. This 10-minute route also originates at the West Campus Library and Wehner Building (main stop) on Agronomy Road and travels to the Fish Pond in a counter-clockwise direction. Some university departments are suggesting their employees use the on-campus bus service as an option to driving or walking, said Hutney. Don Cumbie, the manager of the Department of Human Resources' Training and Organizational Developement branch, began offering the on-campus bus service to staff and faculty when the department relocated its developement workshops from the YMCA Building on Main Campus to the Student Recreation Center on West Campus. The department received good comments on the on-campus bus service from staff and faculty, Cumbie said. Cumbie thinks the service will be used more when the students are back and the parking lot shared by staff, faculty and students at the Student Recreation Center becomes less accessible. Bus Operations provides on-campus bus services for night transportation with the DIAL-A-RIDE program. A bus pass is not required and the service can be accessed by calling 847-RIDE. DIAL-A-RIDE begins at 6:30 p.m. and runs until 12:15 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 10 p.m. on Fridays. Bus Operations also has a home page on the World Wide Web at <http://www-busops.tamu.edu>. Detailed maps of on-campus routes are available there, along with information and news about anything dealing with bus services. For further information call Bus Operations at 845-1971 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CONTACT: Kristen O'Hearn at 845-4618 09/06/96News Main
September 1996
