University of Virginia Library

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.