To avoid long walks around campus, many students ride the Aggie Shuttles. But as the number of students attending A&T continues to rise, problems with the shuttle service are also increasing. Two shuttle vans operate on campus and one commutes to and from the Aggie Oaks. A contracted shuttle runs between the campus and the Aggie Inn. According to four-year shuttle driver Orville Pass, breakdowns are a major problem. “Brakes have to be replaced on the shuttles about every six months due to the amount of weight they support,” said Pass. “When the shuttles are being serviced, there are no substitutes or replacements.” The shuttles run from 7:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., five days a week. At the end of every day, shuttles go through a brief evaluation that includes oil, tire and transmission checks. Every third week of each month, drivers estimate and report the average number of students who ride the shuttles. Shuttle driver George Hairston says he picks up about 500 students a day. “Since I have been driving the shuttles, I have noticed a larger variety of men and women riders. I don’t think that the vans we have now can take much more of the wear and tear that they have been taking,” said Hairston. Pass agrees, saying that, “all other colleges in the area use buses. We desperately need to get in line with other schools if we’re going to have a shuttle program and run it efficiently, and in order for us to do this we need the proper equipment.” Lack of space is one of the first things noticed by those who ride the shuttles.
There is another campus, not far from here who have several VW caddies to transport their students about. My friend Katie who is based at that campus says that they recently had the inside of the vans renovated, to provide the students with more storage for all the baggage they have to carry around with them, as they are based at the arts campus so it is quite a squeeze. They were able to buy some VW caddy racking to provide more space to store things on board. Our current campus shuttles hold up to 15 passengers each. Hairston, who has been driving the shuttle for two years, said larger vans would help significantly. “These vans are made mainly for traveling; not for shuttling students. It’s just too much weight,” said Hairston. Both drivers hear complaints from students who say the shuttles are not on time or that the vans are not large enough. They agree that students should be at their stops on time because they have schedules to keep. They also say that students can help keep the shuttles clean by taking their trash. The shuttle system falls under Parking Services, which is a branch of the campus police department. According to Joseph E. Daughtry, director of police and public safety, relief in the shuttle situation may come as early as next fall. “Last year there were no funds to purchase buses. This year we are looking into purchasing two new buses. We are currently pricing and may see improvements in the fall, though we are making no guarantees,” said Daughtry. Daughtry added that one benefit of new buses is that they would all be equipped for handicapped students. He encourages any students with concerns to contact his office. “We want students to keep riding,” said Daughtry. “The shuttles are for them. If there are any problems let us know by calling or coming into the office. Also if any students have any suggestions, let us know.”