Shuttle service to go downtown

Two shuttle vans will run more frequent routes from on-campus stops to the area east of the Schuylkill River starting on December 2. The new plan comes in response to graduate student leaders' push for an extended Escort Service to Center City, bound by Market, South and 20th streets. The plan, however, lacks the total accessibility of Escort Service. Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Vice Chairperson Elizabeth Hunt said last night the changes are "not what we asked for." The shuttle vans will cover the area currently covered by the Green Route and will begin service two hours earlier, at 7 p.m. The vans will run every half-hour during peak times and every hour during "off-peak times", according to a statement issued by Biochemistry Professor Emeritus Adelaide Delluva, chairperson of the Safety and Security Committee. Delluva said last night that the changes that were made are "a composite" of the recommendations made by various groups, primarily the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly. Delluva added that since ridership has increased in the last few years, serving 15 times as many passengers in 1991-92 than 1986-87, it is time to "reassess the situation." Hunt said she wants to see Escort Service ultimately extended as far east as it currently extends west. "This is a step in the right direction," Hunt added. But, "I hope it is by no means the final step." And GAPSA Chairperson Michael Goldstein said last night he "is so pleased to see movement forward on [Escort's] part," that he is willing to "go for it." "I understand the massive constraints Escort Service is under, so we're not going to push at this time," Goldstein said. Goldstein added that the University's Escort service needs to be revamped before it can serve students adequately. The route revisions, a result of a "preliminary report," will be in place until a complete study is done on the issue.

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