By Kamiko Chamble
The Student Association upgraded SUNY Plattsburgh’s shuttle service this semester, with more space and more stops. Students love the new shuttle and everything that comes with it.
“I feel like all the new features are great and were needed,” said Tyler Dodson, a sophomore theater major. “This was a huge upgrade from the previous one. The space on the shuttle now doesn’t make you feel cramped, and there are enough seats for many more people.”
Dodson said the new shuttle makes it easier for him to do shopping.
“With the red shuttle, you were not able to bring a lot of stuff in after shopping, and it would force you to wait for the next one and just pray that there’s space for you and your stuff,” Dodson said. “With the new shuttle, all the worries are gone.”
Shaday Jackson, a sophomore majoring in psychology, said, “The new shuttle is way better than the last shuttle. It’s way bigger, the people are very welcoming this time. The people last semester weren’t as friendly. I enjoy Don (one of the drivers) the most.”
When breaks come up for the holidays, the shuttle will also take students to Plattsburgh International Airport and the Greyhound bus stop, which is in the process of moving downtown.
“I actually like the shuttle, I mean it’s spacious and they put the girls first. This one driver makes sure all the girls are seated in the front comfortably before he allows the boys to sit,” said Alex’andre Henry, a sophomore double majoring in criminal justice and business. “With the new shuttle, way more people get to go on it all in one trip instead of the last shuttle that seated like six of us.”
The shuttle picks students up from the Angell College Center and stops at Walmart, Champlain Center Mall, Price Chopper, Family Dollar, and now at Clinton County Government Center. Some students don’t like this new stop as much as others, though.
Romaiya Underwood, sophomore majoring in criminal justice, said she doesn’t go downtown, but feels that the shuttle is safe and useful. Jackson said few students ever get off downtown — “it just makes the ride longer.”
The downtown stop on the shuttle has connections to the county’s other regional public transit routes, which students can also access for free.
The shuttle runs seven days a week, starting at 11:30 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. on Sundays.
“The new hours for the shuttle as well help a lot due to it being available later in the night,” Dodson said.
While the new shuttle comes a new rule that students must bring and show their student ID before they board the bus. Underwood said she doesn’t always have her ID on her, which makes her dislike the rule.
“Like, why would I be getting on the shuttle in front of the ACC if I don’t go to the school?” Underwood said. “It doesn’t make sense. I think it’s just really annoying.”
The SUNY shuttle runs thanks to funding from the Student Association, raised from students paying the mandatory SA fee. SUNY Plattsburgh is the SUNY school with the lowest SA fee.
