Loyola Student Dispatch recently asked Loyola University Chicago students what they thought about the university’s shuttle bus service. Here is another in a series of reports:

By Brendan Healy

Most students at Loyola University Chicago support the shuttle bus service that runs from the Rogers Park campus to the downtown campus, but think improvements can be made.

The shuttle bus runs in a continuous loop between the Lake Shore Campus and the Water Tower campus, at approximately 20-minute intervals, Monday through Friday, starting at 7 a.m. from the Water Tower and 7:30 a.m. from Lake Shore. The final two shuttle buses of the day are scheduled to arrive at both campuses at 12:30 a.m.

There is no shuttle service on Saturday or Sunday. After 8 p.m. the buses run about every 30 minutes. However, some students believe those rules aren’t always followed.

“One time I got to the 6:20 shuttle at 6:17 and it was already pulling away. I had to wait for the 6:40 shuttle and I was late for class,” said Erin White, 19, a sophomore Communication major.

The students insist there are positives to the shuttle program and that it deserves a good grade for efficiency.

“I’d give it a B+ to an A. It’s a fine service,” said Jake Brusha, 20, a junior communication major. “I like that it’s safer than the CTA because only Loyola students ride it.”

The consistency of the shuttle schedule is convenient for Loyola students traveling between the Water Tower and Lake Shore campuses.

“It comes every 20 minutes or half-hour,” said Matt Kamey, 19, a sophomore business management major. “The city buses are kind of sporadic.”

While some see positives and negatives to the shuttle bus, others dislike the service altogether.

“I think it’s always very crowded and never on time,” said Erin Gilroy, 21, a senior special education major.

One of the main complaints from students is the rush period, where a number of classes end at the same time creating a long line for the bus.

“I want the bus schedule to be geared around class schedules,” said Tim Doyle, 20, a junior marketing sport management major. “I know [the buses] fill up really quick.”

Along with rush periods, some students think night classes should warrant the 20 minute interval instead of the 30.

“At night, the shuttle sits for 15 or 20 minutes before it actually leaves,” said Lisa Reitz, 24, a higher education major. “9:30 p.m. should be considered a peak time, because a lot of students get out of their night classes then.”

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