Student feedback changes bus routes

As a result of feedback and changes in students' transportation preferences, Harrisonburg Transit changed its route patterns at the beginning of the semester to better fit student needs.

"We see what the demand is, what students need, and then we just readjust [the routes based on that]," said Vicki Conley, Harrisonburg Transit superintendent.

The changes that took place were not as large as the ones that took place in the fall, according to Conley.

Changes to the schedules occurred because of a daily increase of about 1,000 students per day, Conley said. She said that in the fall of 2002, versus the fall of 2003, there was a 39.32 percent increase in passengers riding the night shuttle alone, where the total for daytime routes was 102, 697 in the fall of 2003.

She also said that routes were changed based on e-mails received from the Harrisonburg Transit Web site, www.hdpt.com — a place on the Web to comment. Also, routes are changed according to the feedback received from passengers as they ride the buses.

Slight changes were made to almost every route listed in the Harrisonburg Transit Schedules and Information packet — available for free at locations such as Taylor Down Under and on the buses themselves.

One of the routes that had a major change in it was the Shopper.

"The Shopper changed because we put times to the Shopper now — it used to be continuous," Conley said. "The Shopper will go to Wal-Mart twice and cut some things out, like stops at Lowe's and Kmart."

Another change to the Shopper listed in the new schedule are several new stopping locations, including the College of Integrated Science and Technology at two minutes after the hour, East Market Street at Books-A-Million at 22 minutes after the hour, University Boulevard at Regal Cinemas at 27 minutes after the hour and Blue Ridge Hall at 28 minutes after the hour.

The Shopper also circles back around ISAT to Harrisonburg Crossing, stops at Carrier Drive at the soccer field at 47 minutes after the hour and returns to Godwin at 51 minutes after the hour.

Even though changes to the schedule were greater last semester, almost all routes changed in some way, according to the fall semester bus schedule.

Route 1 no longer stops at the Golden Corral restaurant at 20 minutes after the hour, at Reservoir Street at Dutchmill Court at 40 minutes after the hour or at Blue Stone Hills at Diamond Court at 22 minutes after the hour. However, Route 1 now stops at Stone Gate and SunChase Saturdays on demand, and stops at Biolife Plasma Center every day on demand.

Route 2 changes include stops at Biolife Plasma Center at 12 minutes after the hour and no longer stopping at Old Furnace Road at Tower Street at 20 minutes after the hour, while changes to Route 3 include stops at North Main Street at East Wolfe Street at 26 minutes after the hour instead of at West Wolfe Street per Route 3 now also stops at Bruce Street at Vail on demand only. Route 4 — for Saturday service only — no longer stops at Rockingham Memorial Hospital Atrium on demand.

Route 5 contained the most overall changes to its routes. It now starts at Heritage Haven at 15 minutes after the hour instead of South Main Street at the library at 10 minutes after the hour, where it no longer stops. The bus no longer stops at North Main Street at East Court Square at 11 minutes after the hour after or North Main Street at East Rock Street at 14 minutes after the hour.

Times have changed for several stops along North Main Street, and Route 5 no longer stops at Park Road at Parkwood Drive at 21 minutes after the hour, but now stops at Park Road at Shenk Drive at two minutes after the hour.

Some stops have been taken out, but others are several minutes ahead of their previous schedules.

Inner Campus Shuttle 1 has changed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays by offering two additional ISAT stops. The bus also makes final stops at Blue Ridge Hall, College Center, ISAT, Warren Hall, Varner House and Miller Hall — making its last stop at Miller Hall at 7:05 p.m.

Tuesdays and Thursdays also have more ISAT stops in addition to running later, making one more stop at each of the buildings on its route until its final one at Miller Hall at 7:12 p.m.

Inner Campus Shuttle 2 has changed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays by stopping at the Art Studio on demand for all weekdays, and has twice the number of ISAT stops on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Routes 6, 7, A, J, M, U and the church shuttle incurred no changes, while Route 8 doubled its ISAT stops, Route 9 hits some of its stops five minutes ahead of schedule, Route 10 runs about three minutes ahead of schedule Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and about five minutes ahead of schedule on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Route B now has no Sunday service to Valley Mall after 7 p.m., no longer stops at South Main Street at the Library at 18 minutes after the hour, South Main Street at East Market Street at 18 minutes after the hour or at East Market Street at South Mason Street, and resumes its previous schedule afterwards, running about nine minutes slower to each stop than its previously scheduled times.

Route C has hits stops about 10 minutes later because of a new stop at the Modular Buildings at 37 minutes after the hour.

The night shuttle has changed in that it used to help other routes from 28 to 55 minutes after the hour to assist other routes as needed, making its REGULAR stops between the start of the hour and 28 minutes after the hour. The night shuttle now assists other routes from the start of the hour to 30 minutes after the hour, where it will be on demand and complete its regular stops from 28 to 56 minutes after the hour.

Times have changed for stops along North Main Street, and Route 5 no longer stops at Park Road at Parkwood Drive at 21 minutes after the hour, but now stops at Park Road at Shenk Drive.