"Where's the shuttle?": students and staff voice frustration with transportation on campus

Alana M. Carroll

Art Director 

A post to the Rhode Island College Instagram informed students about the shuttle service, inviting residents and commuters alike to “stay warm on [their] way to class.” The post, uploaded on Thursday, speaks in contrast to some members of the RIC community who have complaints about the service.

“It would be nice if it came,” stated Ezra Hepler, a commuter student who lived in the dorm halls last year. For students without vehicles, the shuttle is often the only alternative to walking from building to building. “It would be pouring rain and I would be waiting for the shuttle to come.”

A photo of the Rhode Island College shuttle.

“We have an obligation as a school to help our students to get to and from their classes,” insisted Professor Donald Laliberte. Laliberte, who teaches social work classes in Guardo Hall, emphasized the detriment that unreliable transportation has on students’ educations.

The size of campus at RIC is modest when compared to other colleges within the state, such as the University of Rhode Island in Kingston or Bryant University in Smithfield. Travelling between the dorm halls and buildings on the other side of campus can make RIC seem far larger. 

Guardo Hall, otherwise known as the RIC School of Social Work, is one of the furthest buildings from the main campus. For students walking from there to the dorm halls, the trek is nearly a mile long. Walking to and from Guardo Hall can have resident students walking over 1.5 miles. Other buildings that can be challenging to reach without transportation are the Campus Police Station 0.8 miles from Penfield Hall, as well as Whipple Hall and Alex and Ani Halls, both a half-mile away from the dorm buildings.

Navigating campus is already difficult enough for students during hazardous weather or in the winter. Two winter storms and temperatures that have only just begun to rise have left the sidewalks either coated in snow or glazed with black ice. These pathways go from a nuisance to a hazard for students with mobility issues or mobility aids. 

Professor Laliberte had the same question: "How do students with mobility issues get from the School of Social Work to Gaige Hall?”

Commuter students also have frustrations about the shuttle service. Christelle Parfait, who lives off-campus, voiced her dissatisfaction and echoed the complaints of resident students.

“I had to walk right from [Gaige Hall] to the social work building. … For me, I was in so much pain. I had to carry my backpack. I’m a commuter, so I have to carry my stuff with me.”

Another complaint from students was the app, which occasionally does not show the shuttle’s location at all. Similarly, the time estimates for each stop are reportedly inaccurate, leading some to be late for their classes.

“I couldn't see [the shuttle] on the map and it was cold outside. I didn’t want to stay outside for 20 minutes, so I walked.” Parfait became emotional during their interview when sharing difficulties finding and riding the shuttle.  “Some of us don't have cars. Some of us carry big bags.”

Despite a recent survey accessible to students by a QR code inside of the shuttle, there have been no major changes noted by students when it comes to the shuttle’s operation. Still, staff and students alike have come up with their own ideas on how to improve the shuttle service.

“They should start shuttling 15 minutes before [classes start],” Laliberte suggested. “It’s a funded service. They should offer it.”

Other common suggestions for improvement were an ability to contact the shuttle driver directly through the app and request a ride and more drivers to transport students across campus.

"I feel like there should be a way to request it to a certain location,” said Hepler. “I know that it has to go around on a route, but I don't know. The app could be a little bit better.” 

This perspective was shared by Parfait. “Add another shuttle if that’s possible, if we have that in the budget. Maybe we could have something on the app that’s a [signal] for the driver.”

“You can't learn if you're always showing up late because you have to walk and you're in pain. It's a simple issue of justice,” stressed Laliberte. “We need to make it possible for people to get back and forth to their classes.”

Anchor Staff reached out to the Office of Administration and Finance for comment but received no response. Similarly, the Anchor spoke with a shuttle driver who did not want to comment. Another request for comment was made to the Center for Disability Access who referred us back to Administration and Finance.