Editor,
Now’s the time to ditch your car and take the city bus to work or to class. UNM and the City of Albuquerque have once again agreed to give free bus rides to all students and staff.
You can be chauffeured to UNM for free in air-conditioned comfort from just about anywhere in the city. Or you can jump on the bus from a conveniently located park-and-ride location.
The city estimates you can save up to $6,000 a year by taking the bus. UNM greatly benefits when you don’t take your car on campus. There is less congestion and less chance of a crash. The air is a little bit cleaner and the quality of life is a little bit better.
Having said this, it remains a mystery why UNM Parking and Transportation Services persists in preventing easy access to the city bus system (and UNMH) by not reconstructing the shuttle stop at Lomas Boulevard. As many of us old-timers may recall, the convenient shuttle stop near Lomas was removed when a roundabout was installed a few years ago.
Promises have been made to create a new shuttle stop in the vicinity of Lomas, but they have never been kept. A new shuttle stop near Lomas would send a clear message to students and staff that UNM firmly supports the ongoing alliance it has forged with the city. As it is, the message that Parking and Transportation Services is sending to those who drive their cars to UNM is muddled, at best. It is almost as if they want us to drive our cars to UNM.
Chuck Reuben
UNM staff
