Now that University Village residents have cable, mailboxes, ample parking and working kitchen appliances, they can focus on another pressing (read: incredibly frustrating) matter: the infrequent, inefficient Hurry ‘Canes shuttle system.
Complaints have been filed and residents have been promised that improvements will be made, but every morning it’s the same story: no Fountain route shuttles for 12 minutes, and then two empty ones in a row. Evenings are even worse with students waiting upwards of 25 minutes at Stanford Circle after 7 p.m. If the current system can’t be remedied and UV residents aren’t permitted to park on campus during the day, perhaps a supplemental alternative could be offered: bikes.
Providing bikes to UV residents, free of charge, would be a viable option. The university could have five bikes available for each building. The racks would be located in front of the building entrance and students would need to swipe their ‘Cane Cards to release a bike for rental. Each rental would be for 12 hours and renters would be responsible for swiping the bikes back in at the end of that 12-hour period or face a fine. The fleet of bikes could be painted orange and green so that they are both easy to recognize and easy on the eyes. Funding for the bikes would be allocated from the same budget that the shuttle system is funded through, making the bike program a simple and logical partial-solution to the University’s ever-present parking and transportation problems.
This program would be in compliance with the new “Green U” initiative and it would promote exercise, thus simultaneously combating the obesity epidemic. Although walking is another environmentally and health-friendly alternative, walking from University Village to, say, the School of Communication is quite the trek any time of year. But walking that far in 90 degree heat when there is always an 85 percent chance of rain makes it even more unpleasant.
The downside? Bike riders would no longer be able to blame their tardiness to class on the Hurry ‘Cane. A small price to pay.