The number of riders on South Campus buses has increased by 10 percent this semester after Centro changed bus routes and schedules to better accommodate Syracuse University students.

The changes to the South Campus bus schedules are the result of a monthslong discussion between Centro and SU about how to make campus bus routes more efficient and simpler for students. Although the new routes and schedules were just implemented last week, student response has already been positive, said Steven Koegel, vice president for business development and corporate communications at Centro.

“So far things have been working very well,” Koegel said. “We always try to make it better. We reduced some services that weren’t performing as well and reallocated those resources.”

Wait times for South Campus buses have decreased from 12 minutes to eight minutes and there is now only one route from South Campus to main campus, Koegel said. The route change makes it easier for students to navigate the bus system since they no longer have to worry about what side of Skytop Road each bus goes to, he added.

There is also a new bus route that runs from South Campus to Waverly Avenue every 32 minutes, said Scot Vanderpool, SU Parking Services manager, in an email. The changes to the bus routes were made based on student input, he said.

“Last year, students asked for more convenient options that would take them from South Campus to destinations beyond College Place,” Vanderpool said.

As a result, students will now be able to travel from South Campus to places such as the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, Syracuse Stage and the Center of Excellence without transferring buses, Vanderpool said.

Parking and Transit Services wants to continue to get input from students about bus routes, Vanderpool said. The department has created a new email system specifically related to transit comments and concerns, which will also include a student satisfaction survey.

The Connective Corridor bus route has also been modified to better serve students, Koegel said. For example, the route will include more stops on South Campus than in the past. This year the route will make stops at Winding Ridge, Lambreth Lane, Slocum Drive and Small Road for the first time.

But while service to South Campus has increased, service to the Near Westside has decreased to only six stops per day, Koegel said.

“Ridership was not strong to the Near Westside,” he said. “But we’re still serving in key areas at key times.”

Marilyn Higgins, SU vice president of community and engagement and economic development, said she and Near Westside Initiative Director, Maarten Jacobs, reached out to SU’s partners on the Near Westside to determine their needs. Then she and Jacobs recommended the timing of the trips to best accommodate the needs of students and faculty who regularly travel to the Near Westside.

A few individuals have expressed concerns about the new routes but Higgins said she’s confident the university will make changes if needed. In general though, Higgins said she’s been impressed with how hard Centro and the university has worked to make the bus system better.

“I was at one meeting where they were really working hard to shave off a minute here, make sure we take care of students over here,” she said. “They were going through a very involved process.”

Published on September 4, 2014 at 12:01 am

Contact Jessica: jliannet@syr.edu | @JessicaIannetta