Off Campus Shuttle Bus Now Offered at RU
by Emily Morris
eamorris@radford.edu

RU and the City of Radford have teamed up to offer students
and local residents easy access to the Food Lion shopping
center and downtown merchants.

RADFORD-With the chilling temperatures and multiple snow and ice storms this winter it has been difficult for students to walk to the grocery store or to any of the downtown shops. But now students have easier access thanks to an added transportation service.

There’s a new addition to the shuttle services offered at RU. Now instead of just running a campus loop shuttle bus there is also a city loop shuttle. This city loop shuttle is referred to as the “Tartan Transit.”

After reviewing several names of various campus services and a list of ideas submitted by shuttle services, the name Tartan Transit was chosen by a board at the Public Relations office.

The Tartan Transit runs off campus to the downtown Farmers Market, the Food Lion Shopping Center and makes stops at several apartment complexes.

“The city loop will offer service from the university to the downtown merchants and also offer service to the local residents and students,” said James Perkins of the RU shuttle services.

This service will be especially convent to students who do not have vehicles, or who dread the eternal walk across campus to the parking lot.

“Hopefully students will be able to make use of mass transit,” said Perkins “Where they don’t have to have their own private vehicle to get certain places.”

“ The City loop helps even more because people don’t have to have cars,” said Jamie Goshen, a freshman at RU, “They can use the Transit to get groceries.”

This program will also benefit the off campus students who live within the route, they will be able to use the Transit instead of having to commute to campus.

The Tartan Transit is still in its beginning phases, with temporary trial runs. Each run takes about twenty minutes. While the City Loop is in its trail phase it will only be running from 3:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.

The local residences are also allowed to use the Tartan Transit, making it not only a benefit to the University but the City as well. “They are very pleased, they think it’s a really good cooperative effort between the City and the University,” said Perkins.

The number of riders the first week averaged at about 75 a week. Since then the number of riders has decreased to approximately 35. However, Perkins believes the decrease to be a result of the cold weather and students still being well supplied with necessities from the Christmas Season.

The future of the Tartan Transit is still uncertain at this point. If the program continues to be a success it may expand the route in the future.

If you have any questions concerning the Tartan Transit you can contact James Perkins with shuttle services at 831-6244, or email him at japerkin@radford.edu.

Click here to see the route of the shuttles.