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Oct
12
Slippery Rock University Student Government Association Implements NextBus Solution
Filed Under Feature Stories, Financing University Systems, Real-time Passenger Information Systems, Sustainability, University Transit | Leave a Comment
The Happy Bus System Will Now Make Riders Even Happier By Getting Them Where They Want to Go On-Time
Faculty and staff, as well as Slippery Rock University students, are now just one phone call away from tracking the arrival of the next bus. The Student Government Association(SGA) recently installed the GPS-based NextBus passenger information system on the campus buses it operates to help SRU become more environmentally friendly while providing up-to-date bus stop information.
The SGA Shuttle made its debut route around the campus loop in January of 1994. The Shuttle, or the "Happy Bus" as it’s affectionately known to many students, has been a Slippery Rock icon ever since.
The Shuttle takes trips to various regional shopping centers throughout the year. In August of 2008, a second Shuttle was added and new routes were created to get students where they need to be.
The nine-stop, on-campus 20-minute route runs 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays; the 12-stop, off-campus 30-minute loop runs 7:20 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. The evening route runs 4:30-9 p.m., and the late-night bus, operated Thursday through Saturday, runs 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.
Passengers can now access information about the popular “Happy Bus” schedules either by a dedicated phone line or by selecting “Slippery Rock University” on the NextBus.com website. The system tracks both the on-campus bus and its off-campus cousin that travels to area apartment complexes and stores.
Improving Sustainability with Leading Edge Technology
Tyson Johnston, SGA vice president for public relations, said the idea for the bus schedule computer systems was submitted by SGA to the Green Fund last spring.
“We applied for a Green Fund Grant for $20,000 to help pay for the system, and were selected to receive funding,” Johnston said.
The new systems cost $40,000 with SGA funds covering the remaining half.
“They can hop on a nice warm bus and come to campus,” Johnston said. In addition to saving time, riding the bus will also help faculty and staff save money on gasoline.
Johnston said the system also allows the SGA to count the number of passengers on the buses at any given time as well as track at which stops passengers are getting off.
“Those reports are helpful because it lets us know which stops are being used, which aren’t, and it allows us to make our schedule better,” Johnston said.
One commenter to a NextBus article in the student news site,TheOnlineRocket.com indicated how useful the new system can be:
You can use your Smartphone to get the arrivals information, you can use SMS Texting, you can set alarms that tell you when the bus is coming a set number of minutes before it is predicted to arrive, i.e. send an alert 12 minutes before the bus is predicted in real time to arrive at my stop every weekday morning.
NextBus Info Simplifies System Management
Reporting tools enable efficient operation of the shuttle system. For example, SGA’s Johnston noted that the system also allows the SGA to count the number of passengers on the buses at any given time as well as track at which stops passengers are getting off.
“Those reports are helpful because it lets us know which stops are being used, which aren’t, and it allows us to make our schedule better,” Johnston said.
All in all, the NextBus system will improve transportation life for both riders and managers.
