Return to Compass Features for November 5, 1996
A University-wide task force comprised of students, faculty and staff will embark today on a comprehensive review of transportation services on campus.
The primary mission of the Penn Transportation Committee will be to identify tactical changes to further improve the effectiveness of Penn Transit Services. The study will involve a review of the services provided by Escort Service and PennBus, as well as an examination of opportunities to coordinate services with Walking Escort Service, the Health System's transportation programs and SEPTA.
In addition, the committee will address longer-term issues regarding the boundaries and timetables of Penn Transit Services, and will recommend a multiyear strategy for potentially restructuring the services provided to the area east of campus.
"The study will result in a blueprint for further enhancements to our campus transportation services, both in the short and long terms," said Steven Murray, Vice President for Business Services, who will serve as chair of the task force. "We recognize that transportation services are a key component of our goal of improving the quality of life on campus for students, faculty and staff."
For a complete list of task force members, see next week's Almanac.
The Department of Transportation and Parking, which oversees Penn's Transit Services, last month increased the services offered on the PennBus and Escort Shuttle Services. The PennBus has doubled its service; both the eastbound and westbound vehicles now each make a full run every one-half hour. The Escort vans now operate on a fixed schedule, every 15 minutes. In addition, two new pick-up points have been added -- the Fairfax Apartments at 4247 Locust St., and the Garden Court Plaza, at 4701 Pine St. Three new vans will be added to the fleet, bringing the total to 18, and nine new Escort drivers have been hired, bringing the total to 63.
Bob Runiss, director of transportation and parking, said Escort Services ridership for October increased by 16 percent from 37,326 to 43,296. Furthermore, with the enhanced service provided by the PennBus, its ridership increased by 91 percent during the same period, going from 3,345 to 6,406.
The PennBus operates Mondays through Fridays from 6 p.m. through 12:30 a.m. The Escort Service runs seven nights a week, from 6 p.m. through 3 a.m.
Murray said the goal of the task force is to complete its analysis over a four week period.
"We will be meeting weekly, with a great deal of information and data gathering going on between meetings," he said. "Our hope is to present our recommendations to the University community by the end of this month."
Murray said that a major review of the system last took place in 1991, at which time it was completely restructured to a route-based system. It had previously operated like a taxi system.
From 1986 -- the year Business Services took the system over from the Division of Public Safety -- until 1991, use of the system rose from approximately 14,000 rides a year to approximately 100,000. Last year the system provided 350,000 rides.
"Penn's Transit Services clearly have become an integral part of the lives of our students, faculty and staff," Murray noted. "They impact the way we study, work and recreate at Penn. It is already one of the most comprehensive university transit systems, and we are committed to making it even more responsive to the needs of the Penn community."
Return to Compass Features for November 5, 1996