New revisions discussed for Boomerang shuttle

The Student Senate discussed several preliminary revisions to UNC’s Boomerang Shuttle service during Wednesday’s meeting. The modifications could add additional stops to the current route and begin an evening service from the university campus to several locations throughout Greeley.

“We’re really trying to work with the student body, so we can match the services with their needs,” Student Body President Justin Puckett said. “We really have to find out what students want and what is cost effective, because I do not feel comfortable paying $100 an hour for one student to ride the bus.”

Puckett said the results of an 800-person evaluation were taken into account when he and the Greeley-Evans Transit members drafted the preliminary proposal, which asked for suggestions of possible revisions to the current service. Under the current proposal, two routes — aptly named Blue and Gold — would be created to increase the amount of service routes to both on-campus and off-campus sites.

The proposed Blue route would have stops located at Gunter Hall, Cranford Place between 12th and 13th avenues, Candelaria Hall and the University of Northern Colorado Transfer Center that would be built near the University Center’s loading dock.

Meanwhile, the proposed Gold route would have stops at the UNC Transfer Center, Arlington Park Student Apartments, Gunter Hall, Ninth Avenue and 16th Street, Kepner Hall, and Tobey-Kendal Hall, and West Campus residence complex. In addition to the Blue and Gold routes, the proposal also outlined the creation of two evening routes labeled as the North/Downtown Loop and the South/University Square Loop.

Because contract negotiations are still ongoing, Puckett said costs for the new service routes have not been determined. He also said he would meet with Greeley-Evans Transit members some time next week to discuss issues and concerns raised by Senate members, who provided constructive criticism during Wednesday’s presentation.

“I want the routes to reflect the interests of the students instead of what the city may want, because at the end of the day, we’re going to be the ones writing the check for it,” Student Trustee Matt VanDriel said.

Maggie Wright, the College of Educational and Behavioral Sciences representative, said the route should not be altered significantly from the beginning.

“My biggest concern is that if we start changing the route too much or changing the times specifically, I’m afraid that it’s going to become too confusing,” Wright said.

However, Wright also said the proposal resolved several longstanding issues raised by students.

“I do agree that we should probably keep the service during peak times, so we can have a more consistent flow and that we’re keeping up with the supply and demand,” Wright said.

-- originally published in The Mirror on March 5, 2010