University of Virginia Library

Proposal Supports Busing System

By Philip Kimball
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

A recently released report by the
Parking and Traffic Committee has
recommended many alternatives to the
University's congestion, including a
campus mass transit system.

This solution to the problem of
overcrowded parking conditions and
traffic congestion has already proven
successful on other campuses across the
country.

The proposal put forth by the Study
recommends that the University
construct a parking facility at Birdwood, a
University owned land site west of the U.S.
29-250 Bypass. The cost of constructing the 37
acre parking facility would be $4.5 million,
providing a total of 4820 parking spaces, 1200
of these in a "parking building."

The construction of the Birdwood parking
facility, the report states, would help meet the
demand for the 15,000 parking spaces needed
for faculty, staff and students when student
enrollment reaches 14,500. A transit system is
proposed in order to connect the facility with
the University. A transit system is proposed in
order to connect the facility with the
University. The buses would make four trips
per hour and would operate between 7 a.m. and
6 p.m.

Other Universities

Other universities across the country have
implemented various mass transit systems with
varying degrees of success.

In western Massachusetts full sized buses
shuttle students between Mount Holyoke.
Smith, Amherst, Hampshire and the University
of Massachusetts permitting students to attend
classes and cultural events at other colleges.

At Michigan State University a 12 bus
system has grown in six years to its present
capacity of 26 buses and more than pays for its
$400,000 annual cost.

Leading System

Some authorities regard the mass transit
system at Kent State as the leading system in
the country. The Kent State Campus Service, a
student run organization, consists of 28 modern
buses which presently serve 80 per cent of the
24,000 faculty and students at the university
and the number of riders steadily increases
every month. There are no fees, just a $4
student fee every quarter.

The system utilizes many innovations
including a flashing number, controlled by a
central dispatcher, that keeps buses from
bunching up. The buses have seats six inches
wider than the industry standard and tonnage
blue interior lights. On seven new vehicles
students and faculty enjoy air conditioning and
stereo music.

An "umbilical cord," plugged into each bus
at the end of the day, transmits into a
computer printout the number of passengers
carried, the miles traveled, amount of gas and
oil used, and other vital statistics.

Innovations

Such innovations have developed since 1967
when the university confronted its growing
traffic problems. One solution contemplated
was a series of parking garages which would
cost the university $5.5 million. Instead Kent
State chose to build distant parking lots, linking
them to the campus with a bus system at less
than half the cost.

Besides saving the university the cost of a
parking building, officials say that 40 per cent
of the cost is returned in wages to the 106
student supervisors, drivers and other
employees. Officials also state that more people
are being served while the amount of traffic
congestion is kept to a minimum.