New bus plan takes effect

A bus plan has been in the works since 1997, but the Board of Trustees finally approved the "Universal Bus Pass" or simply U-Pass plan this June, according to Kenneth Gros Louis, Bloomington chancellor.\n In the new plan that will be phased in over three years following an evaluation committee's recommendations, students pay a universal transportation fee and are able to board any Bloomington Transit bus by showing a valid IU ID. Campus buses, however, are not included in the prepaid pass. \nFor the week of Aug. 28 through Sept. 2, Bloomington Transit, Rural Transit Express and the Campus Bus system will offer free rides to the entire Bloomington community as part of the annual Free Week. After that students will need to show a Campus Bus pass to ride the Campus buses or pay $.75 per ride. \n"Traditionally during the first week of school both the IU Buses and the Bloomington Transit have been free to students, so the full impact of the changes won't be felt until the second week of school," said Richard McKaig, dean of students. \nJim Hosler, director of Campus Bus Services, recommends that during this first week students wait to buy a bus pass and just ride the buses to see if they need one.\n"As long as the buses are all free, ride around and get an idea of which bus you use most often," he said. "Is it a red bus or a green one? Then decide if you want to buy a pass."\n To ride the Campus Bus (red) students will still need to purchase an IU bus pass for $157.60 per year ($106.80 for a semester pass) or pay per ride. Students can purchase bus passes at Card Services in Ashton Center located at 501 North Union Street.\n"We are in the first phase in a program that is going to give better bus service to University students. All the buses will be the same except for the for the C bus that will be now run by Bloomington Transit," said Bruce Jacobs, associate vice chancellor for administrative affairs.\nAlthough BT normally uses numbers to identify its bus routes, former Campus Bus C route will still be called the C route. This C route will still serve University Commons, Eton Mews and Woods at Lattimer apartment complexes. Buses will also be running more frequently.\nThere will be no BT buses running to service students living on North Jordan. Hosler said those students would benefit most from buying a Campus Bus pass.\nStudents living near the stadium can take the BT Route 1-South bus, which picks up every hour in front of the IU Credit Union on 17th Street. If they do not want to wait for the BT bus, they can purchase a pass for the Campus Express Shuttle, which runs more frequently from Memorial Stadium, but costs $55 per year. The Express Shuttle's service will be extended from 5:30 p.m. to midnight on weekdays.\nBloomington Transit will make the majority of the changes in implementing the U-Pass plan. \n"We are exited about the U-Pass program and the potential it has to improve student mobility and help reduce traffic congestion and parking demand," said Lewis May, general manager of the BT.\nStarting Sept. 4, a new SRSC express bus will provide service to the Rec Center. This bus will run Sunday through Thursday from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Students with an E sticker on their car can park in the Green Lot and then take the SRSC Express bus to and from the SRSC. \nThe BT Route 6 buses will also increase service times running along 10th Street from Meadow Brook Apartments on the west to Colonial Crest Apartments on the east, and will also provide Sunday service.\nBT will extend service on the Route 7 "park and ride" southward to Bryan Park serving the Bolder at Deer Park Apartments as well as the Woodlawn Crossing Apartments.\nFor more information on the new bus schedules or for any questions, contact IU Bus Services at 855-8384. They have more people working to field calls, and are willing to walk people through what route they need to take. The BT Web site, www.bloomingtontransit.com, has also been updated with the new routes, and BT maps are available in the IMU. Updated schedules and maps are due to be posted by 8 a.m. Monday on the IU Campus Bus Web site, www.iubus.indiana.edu.