The shuttle to Center City is back, but only for night owls.
Recent safety concerns have prompted the University to create a new trial shuttle service that will provide door-service transportation as east as Broad Street.
Despite the University's decision to shelve the Octobus shuttle service last week, officials believe that a late-night shuttle service to Center City is an important component of a comprehensive safety plan.
"We felt that a late-night shuttle was the best idea" after reviewing the ridership of the Octobus, Business Services spokeswoman Barbara Lea-Kruger said.
Lea-Kruger said the goals of last month's trial were to provide convenience and safety, but numbers showed that "as a convenience, the ridership was not sufficient" to continue the service.
The new service, which will begin on Monday, will probably not serve students who are heading into Center City for dinner and other evening appointments: Unlike the Octobus, which began operating each night at 6 p.m., the new service will run only after 10 p.m., targeting students heading home late at night.
Despite the service reduction, Graduate and Professional Student Assembly chairman Dan Grabell said that the results of the Octobus trial were ultimately successful, and that "this is a great partnership we've formed with Business Services."
The new service "meets the majority of the needs of GAPSA," Grabell said, noting that other forms of transportation are abundant to grad students from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Third-year Ph.D. student Andrea Puig agreed that "anything that makes life easier for grad students leaving campus is great." However, she added, "I usually bike."
Students can board the new shuttle at any existing Penn Transit stop except the Johnson Pavilion.
It will run every 30 minutes after 10 p.m. and will be "on call" after 3 a.m through 898-RIDE. It will provide door service to destinations between campus and Broad Street and Market and South streets.
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