UHart Shuttle not meeting potential

The University of Hartford campus shuttle is widely accepted at UHart as one of the primary tools for getting around, and travelling off campus. However, the service falls short of living up to its potential for students, parents, and faculty in multiple ways. With four bus lines, it begs the question whether or not the bus network should be redesigned for greater benefits for everyone.  The campus shuttle service currently seems so simple that it is there as a minor convenience, but it is nothing to write home about.

The routes operated by the UHart buses circle around campus, offering its service to the main campus, as well as serving the Handel Performing Arts Center, Clemens Place and the Asylum Avenue campus along the route. The campus bus shuttle would be beneficial for students at the University of Hartford if transportation was provided to the downtown Hartford area. One stop that would be extremely valuable would be  and especially the Hartford Union Station, which serves hundreds of people either traveling by bus or commuter rail daily. Many students without cars are burdened with paying the high cost of Ubers to travel to and from the station, especially at times like Friday afternoons and evenings. Also, many students who do internships within the downtown area should not have to pay the cost just to go to an internship that the school strides for students to get.

Not everyone has a car, so having a bus network that we can actually utilize, similar to other schools, should definitely be discussed and improved upon. I would love to see the UHart shuttle system expanded as soon as possible. Even though UHart is not as large as some New England institutions such as the University of Connecticut, the campus shuttle can definitely serve a greater purpose than what it is currently doing now. Many students feel trapped on campus, considering there is a large proportion of those who do not have access to a car and have to take the two CT buses that stop at the front of campus. These can be a huge inconvenience, giving the long gaps in services between wait times on each route. In addition to that, the bus stock needs to be upgraded.

With environmentally friendly buses being brought by transit agencies and colleges across the country, UHart can follow suit and make another positive impact in the world by introducing the areas of west, east, and downtown Hartford to the latest advanced technology in transit innovations.

Still, with all of the recommendations I bring regarding the shuttle service, there are many benefits of the UHart bus line. The shuttle service does transport students to and from various buildings on and off campus, serving the West Hartford, and surrounding neighborhoods near the UHart campus. One route includes trips on Friday through Sunday to the West Farms Mall. This trip is known as the “Shoppers Special”, where students have the option, almost all day, to travel back and forth shopping. So with everything in life, there are advantages and disadvantages of the shuttle system.

While there are benefits of the UHart shuttle, there is definitely potential to do more with the service. The University of Hartford will hopefully implement some of these changes over time, especially when many other universities in the country have a vast network of bus routes and a flawless system that gets students to actual destinations of where they need to go the most.

IMAGE COURTESY OF HARTFORD.EDU