The Tufts Community Union Senate last Monday passed a resolution calling for a shuttle that would run from the Tufts campus to Boston on Friday and Saturday nights.
According to senator Christie Maciejewski, who helped lead the resolution, the shuttle would run once every hour between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m., with stops planned near Harvard Square, Park Street and Copley Square.
Maciejewski, a senior, explained that she began thinking about the resolution after talking with fellow students. Many struggle to return to campus before the T closes around 12:30 a.m., she said.
To encourage students to go into Boston, we think this is a good way to get them there and get them home safely, Maciejewski said.
To assess student interest in a shuttle from Tufts to Boston, Senate recently surveyed over 1,100 students with favorable results, according to senator and junior Darien Headen, who helped spearhead the resolution.
Of those surveyed, 81 percent said they would certainly use the shuttle, while 16 percent said they would maybe use it, according to Maciejewski. Among those who reported interest in taking the shuttle, 33 percent said they would use it weekly and 56 percent said they would take the shuttle every few weeks.
Maciejewski stated that Senate plans to charge $3 to $5 per shuttle ticket, which is a cheap alternative to a cab, she said. Headen agreed, noting that the shuttle would allow students to avoid a $30 cab fee, as well as eliminate the stress of not being able to find a cab.
According to information from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Maciejewski said, one of Tufts main attractions for applicants is its proximity to Boston. Yet, students rarely go into the city, she said.
Freshman Annie Carter echoed Maciejewskis fear that many students avoid going into Boston because of transportation obstacles.
Ive gone into Boston a few times before, and I know from experience that its very hard to get a cab home late at night, so I think a shuttle would be a great service for Tufts students who want to get off campus a little bit more, Carter said.
Both Maciejewski and Headen are optimistic that the administration will adopt the changes posed by the resolution.
Weve been discussing it with them for awhile, Maciejewski said. They wanted the resolution passed.
Headen believes the university has been embracing options for more shuttles.
We always had the turkey shuttle and the spring break shuttle, but we also got the supermarket shuttle last year, he said.
Maciejewski predicts that the shuttle will begin running as early as January 2014.
The senators would like to see the shuttle extend to Thursday nights but plan to organize the Friday and Saturday shuttles first.
I want students to keep a lookout for it, Headen said. I think its going to be successful. We want to make sure that it has a name for itself, that people will use it and that people are finding it convenient.
