Despite recent changes to the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA)/New England Conservatory (NEC) shuttle, a number of Tufts-SMFA dual-degree students feel that the shuttle service between the SMFA and the Medford/Somerville campus, which also services the NEC, still has significant room for improvement.
In particular, students say that service should be more frequent during off-peak hours and that shuttles during the busiest hours are frequently crowded. Students have noticed, however, that service has improved recently. According to Tufts administrators, there are currently plans to further improve shuttle service.
Nayoung Kim, a first-year dual-degree student who takes two evening classes at SMFA, said that late evening shuttles back to the Medford/Somerville campus are usually overcrowded when students who have had long classes during the day take the shuttles back.
"I find myself cramped on the shuttle, because people sometimes triple up and sometime end up sitting on the floor," Kim said.
Kim added that she had to arrange her own transportation to the SMFA on several occasions because the shuttle was late or did not appear to come at all.
"You'd expect the [Saturday morning shuttle] to come on time, because it's the first one in the morning," she said. "I had to resort to taking the T or an Uber."
Fourth-year dual-degree student Catherine Armistead agreed that lack of space on the shuttle has been a recurring problem, especially because students travelling to and from art classes frequently carry supplies.
Armistead said that she has contacted Nancy Bauer, the dean of the SMFA at Tufts, regarding the issue, and Bauer has looked into asking operator A & A Metro Transportation for a larger bus during those times.
"I sent Nancy [Bauer] an email Tuesday night two weeks ago because a few students had to sit on the floor in the shuttle and there wasn't enough space for everyone to have a seat, especially when people are carrying canvases and art supplies," Armistead told the Daily in an email.
According to Bauer, the university is currently planning to change evening shuttle service in order to better serve people. She added that transportation is a large priority for Tufts.
"We have been tweaking things all year and will continue to make changes until the system works for everyone who wants to travel back and forth between the SMFA [and Tufts]," Bauer told the Daily in an electronic message.
Armistead noted that service has improved somewhat since Tufts switched bus contractors. According to a Sept. 7, 2015 Daily article, Tufts switched from its previous contractor Joseph’s Limousine & Transportation to A & A Metro Transportation for its bus services in fall 2015.
Colin Murphy, a first-year dual-degree student, said he thinks the shuttle does its job of transporting the students between classes, but its schedule does not accommodate the needs of students who frequently have to use the SMFA's art studios outside of class.
"If you get on the first shuttle in the morning, you will get to your 9 a.m. class on time, and if you are going back after class, there is a shuttle there for you to get on," Murphy said. "My main issue is that, as a photography student ... I spend a lot of time working on stuff outside of my class, so I really need something more consistent."
Murphy added that the long wait times are partially due to the shuttle's longer route. As a result, many students use Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) services rather than waiting, he said.
"It's not like the Davis Square shuttle where it's a 15 minute drive around here," Murphy said. "If the [SMFA/NEC] shuttle is on the way to the SMFA and you need to get to the SMFA, [the wait] is going to be an hour and half to two hours before it's back. In that case, I take the T, which is frustrating because I end up having to pay for the T all the time."
Murphy suggested that the university could offer dual-degree students a greater subsidy for MBTA rides or discounted ride-sharing services like Lyft between the Medford/Somerville and SMFA campuses.
"It would be nice to have some sort of stipend for dual-degree students, because we use the T all the time," Murphy said.
Likewise, first-year dual-degree student Alexander Didkovsky said that he would rather have an unlimited monthly MBTA pass than the shuttle service. He also speculated that MBTA passes might be cheaper for Tufts than a full shuttle service. Currently, undergraduate students are able to purchase discounted MBTA passes, according to the Tufts Sustainability website.
Murphy believes that Tufts administrators have been responsive to complaints and diligent in addressing issues, but he said that he would like to see changes sooner.
"A lot of SMFA students and dual-degree students have brought these transportation issues to SMFA, and the response we've gotten is [that they] are working on it," he said. "We really appreciate it, but at the same time, we would like to see [a] more immediate fix because the reality is that we are spending a lot more money than we should on transportation."
Martina Tan, a first-year dual-degree student, said she is generally satisfied with the service, and although there are issues to be resolved, she believed students can be patient about it.
"There is this culture of being angry at the shuttles for not arriving on time, and as much as I want to say that's not okay, I want to say people shouldn't be overreacting like that," Tan said. "It is pretty fun to complain, but in the end we do want a solution."
According to second-year dual-degree student Prea Bhandari, there are some issues, but the shuttle service has gotten much better over the past year because the schedule is more consistent.
"The improvements they made are looking good, and I think it's working as well as it can," Bhandari said. "The schedule was different day to day, and I wouldn't even plan on leaving on time for SMFA my [first] year. Right now, the schedule is very clear."
University Fleet/Transportation Manager Andrea Breault said that the university understands the difficulties the students go through. Thus, her team, along with upper administration members, is currently working on possible new transportation services and funding resources for SMFA.
"While enhancements have made a positive difference, we realize there is more to do. We are looking at augmenting services again next academic year, and are currently in discussions about the mix of modes and services that we will put in place to improve students’ transportation experience," Breault told the Daily in an email. "We also are reviewing data to understand when peak ridership and traffic congestion stress the system so that we consider those factors in our planning."
Dual-degree students suggest improvements for SMFA shuttle service
