Shuttle buses help you make your Campus Connection

By Jody Leggett
Special to Summer Forty-Niner

Leanna Murray, a Cal State Long Beach senior, loathed going to her classes each day. Not because she did not enjoy her classes, but because of the long walk she faced each morning to reach them.

"I never imagined getting to my classes on time would be such a challenge," Murray said.  "Especially if they were on entirely different sides of the campus from where my dorm is at."

The extra time needed to walk to classes is sometimes not available; so many students may find themselves rushing to get to their classes.  That is why CSULB offers an alternative to walking??  Campus Connection.

Campus Connection, containing six shuttles, provides students with transportation to different areas around the campus and it also permits students to venture off the campus, according to Christine Hart, alternative transportation coordinator.

With the shuttles making a total of 22 stops within the campus and four stops off-campus, Campus Connection makes it easy for students to get around Cal State Long Beach, Hart stated.

The shuttles also give students who live off-campus the option to save time.  This way they do not have to waste minutes finding a place to park once they arrive on campus.

However, buses tend to get crowded fast, especially around the peak periods that are at the beginning and end of class time, Hart said.

The only problem, according to Hart, is that everybody from the dorms runs out 10 minutes before their classes start and impact the shuttles.  It is advisable to arrive early at the shuttle stops so that overcrowding does not become a problem.

Shuttles arrive every 10 to 15 minutes.

An additional shuttle is being added next fall semester that will hopefully make a big difference in getting people moved quicker, Hart said.

"We're hoping to see a lot of improvement," Hart stated.

The Lower West off-campus route and the Upper East Campus route operate Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays.  Another Lower West off-campus shuttle will operate from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

Two shuttles on the additional campus tripper route runs Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays.

Students who wish to board the shuttle from off-campus must obtain a free Beach Bonus card at the Parking Office, according to Hart.

A pamphlet is also available at the Parking Office that lists every stop on and off-campus.

Getting to class can be an obstacle for some students.

With the availability of the shuttles to the students at Cal State Long Beach, making it to class on time is one less stress at school students can eliminate.

"I always worried about walking into my classes late," Murray said.  "Now I can rely on the shuttle buses to get me to my classes and with a little time to spare."