The Pitt-Johnstown campus shuttle no longer stops at the now-closed College Park Apartments this semester, maintaining its stops at the Richland Town Centre.
The College Park Apartments, a campus-owned building that housed roughly 115 Pitt-Johnstown students last year, closed this semester and is likely to remain closed for the school year, as it was deemed unsafe for living.
The route cancellation and the College Park Apartments closing news came as a surprise to Pitt-Johnstown commuters living at the Bloomfield Apartments next to the College Park Apartments.
Many students had been catching a shuttle ride at the College Park Apartment stops.
University officials had not informed students that the shuttle would not stop at the College Park Apartments even though the decision was made during summer break.
Now, in consequence for living at a cheaper, off-campus alternative, commuters at Bloomfield Apartments have to walk to campus or ride the Cam-Tram, which most do not.
Many of these students had just moved in and said if they had been informed about the shuttle’s rerouting they would’ve considered staying on campus after all.
The College Park Apartments are still listed as a viable living option for upper-classmen on the university website.
Granted, the webpage that listed this particular outdated information was last reviewed in 2008.
However, in the Living On Campus brochure for the 2013-2014 school year, the College Park Apartments are listed as well.
For the campus shuttle to stop at the College Park Apartments, or Bloomfield Apartments, is only a few extra turns away.
For an interim period of at least a year, a stop should be made for those students who based their decision to live at Bloomfield, in part, on the shuttle’s availability.
Then, university officials can make known their shuttle plans for the next academic year.
Also, other shuttle stops should be considered along with expanded hours of operation.
Hours to the Galleria and along Scalp Avenue would enhance lives for at least some students.