UNM Parking and Transportation Services (PATS) launched a brand new nighttime shuttle service route this past Monday, meeting the demand of many students who have enrolled in evening classes in recent semesters.
The new route is a direct result of feedback from students parking on one end of campus who have a long way to walk to get to classes on the other side, Barbara Morck, director of PATS, said.
“The change was made in response to requests by students who were on North Campus later in the day/evening and who did not feel comfortable walking across campus to the Yale Mall,” Morck said.
Prior to this change, students traveling back and forth from North to South Campus had to walk clear across UNM to hop on a shuttle. Across campus, various shuttle services end after 7 p.m.
The new bus route provides safety for students while also boosting the efficiency of the shuttles after 7 p.m., as the number of shuttles required drops from eight to six.
“The reduction in the number of shuttle buses was a natural result of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the service and subsequently will allow us to improve service elsewhere,” Morck said.
The new night bus line runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at all major stops, with shuttles arriving about every 10 minutes, Monday through Thursday.
In addition to the evening shuttle running northbound and southbound, she said 15 new “in-between stops” have been incorporated for the many students traveling far distances across campus.
Although these stops are not timed, they provide an added layer of efficiency.
A downloadable PDF is available on the PATS website mapping out each major stop, sandwiched stop, and route, she said. Students are encouraged to communicate with their driver about their destination to improve efficiency.
“Students, as well as faculty and staff, can communicate with the drivers as they do now - when they get on the bus they let the driver know what bus stop they want,” Morck said. “As the stop approaches and especially if/when there are other passengers on the bus, remind the driver which stop they need.”
Kyle Biederwolf, Associated Students of UNM president, echoed the concert of the students prior to the improvement's implementation and said he is pleased with the announcement of the new service.
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“We strongly support PATS' efforts to make transportation to parking lots more easily accessible after hours,” Biederwolf said. “Especially for our students that have late night classes or jobs, we feel that this new bus route will make campus safer by affording students better points of access to the shuttles.”
Jerilyn Silver-Duran is an art history major taking her first class at UNM this fall, which ends at 6:45 in the evening. Since Silver-Duran works full time, she said night classes are convenient for her schedule.
“On Monday I wanted to check out the bookstore and walk around campus," she said. "I saw the night bus was from 7 to 10 (p.m.). I was like, 'Well I can always take the night shuttle back.'”
Prior to attending UNM, Silver-Duran said she took classes at CNM, becoming familiar with the atmosphere around the college campus. She said she is not concerned about danger at UNM.
“I’m not worried about it. I feel like I could probably take care of myself,” she said.
On the other hand, Kimmie Meza, a senior chemistry major, takes the shuttle every day she’s on campus and is concerned about safety at night, even with the new route.
“It’s really weird how they’re having the buses go around and, like, you’re not always certain that it’s gonna be here like when it says here,” Meza said.
Meza said she has two late classes a week, one of which does not end until the night bus stops running.
“The last shuttle runs until 10 p.m. and my class gets out at 10 p.m., so that’s nerve-racking. Am I gonna make it in time to the shuttle?” Meza said.
And the service doesn't help Meza on Friday nights, when she has a late lab.
“The fact that they’re not having the night bus on Fridays, that’s also kind of concerning. Especially with everything going on along Central, especially at night,” Meza said. “All the construction people, night life, just in general. Thank god for the 3:45 rule.”
Meza refers to the fact that students with any parking permit are eligible to park on campus lots beginning at 3:45 p.m.
Amanda Umstead, a senior nutrition major, describes the shuttle system as tedious and annoying, but necessary.
“I was trying actually not to get a parking permit this year and just park in the outskirts, but I don’t want my car to get messed up,” she said.
Like many students, Umstead does not like walking around campus at night.
“Sometimes you can be walking around campus and it’s sketchy as heck (and) super dark. Anyone can be on campus and I get creeped out sometimes,” she said.
Although Umstead’s classes end earlier, she said the nighttime shuttle service would still benefit her.
“Usually I’m always on campus doing homework,” Umstead said. “Sometimes I’ll stay in the library, like last semester, until they close at 1 or 2 a.m., but normally on those days I’ll move my car over by Johnson or the library.”
The 3:45 rule is convenient for students wanting to shorten the walk to their vehicle. However, the night bus provides frequent stops, saving time spent searching across campus for convenient parking.
