With the cold weather finally kicking into full gear here in Denver, a lot of students have noticed the shift in not only temperature, but in the commuting conditions as well. Considering that a majority of students—especially underclassmen—walk to and from classes on the daily, the slick sidewalks and slushy snow on campus have made getting to classes all the more difficult.
Not that waking up for an 8 a.m. was that easy to begin with.
For students who drive or take the light rail to DU, road conditions are severe. As many students know, there was a snow day this past week on Oct. 29. According to the Office of the Provost, the decision to close down the entire DU campus was due in part to the “deteriorating road conditions.” Since around 52 percent of students live off campus, the chances that they are commuting are quite high.
As the days get shorter and the sun sets quicker, it is important that all DU students, regardless of whether they live on-campus or off-campus, know all of their transportation options. One particularly new transportation mode that is offered here at DU is the campus shuttle.
Unlike the standard campus shuttle service, DU has partnered up with MV Transportation to utilize the TripShot app that makes it easier for students to get around campus and surrounding areas. According to DU, the process for creating the contract for campus shuttle services was incredibly “competitive.”
However, with the Driscoll Bridge being closed for the foreseeable future and congestion of traffic piling up, this campus shuttle service provides students with a safer, more time-efficient mode of transportation. The fact that the service is also free to students who sign up with their DU email addresses via the TripShot app is an extra bonus.
When students download the TripShot app, all they have to do is register with their email. Then, when the campus shuttle approaches within a certain radius of the stop, all students have to do is select the route in which they’re taking on the map. Afterwards, they will get a boarding code and the cold, brisk walks will be a thing of the past. If students are curious when their shuttle will depart and arrive at certain stops, the app gives an ETA.
As of now, this service is relatively new for not only the students, but also to the University as a whole. Therefore, there are two established and fixed routes as of now, that primarily go from the light rail station near DU with various stops that go all the way to the Physics Building. However, DU does plan on having an “on-demand” shuttle for students who want to get to places that aren’t necessarily within the bounds of campus. Even though the webpage for transportation states that “the rider app is a powerful tool,” they admit they will “describe more its features as we [DU] will progress.”
For more information concerning the campus shuttle and other modes of transportation around campus, students can check out the webpage on the DU website.
