Sections

We applaud the Student Union for launching a trial shuttle to Riverside but the weekend schedule makes little sense. The entire reason the Green Line is convenient is that it runs every 10 minutes. Unlike the commuter rail, students don’t need to follow a schedule for when they can catch a train into Boston. But when the Riverside shuttle only runs once an hour, it defeats the purpose of more frequent transportation from campus into Boston.

The Riverside shuttle is a good idea and student leaders deserve credit for trying out a new initiative that students lobbied for on campus. But, for the Riverside shuttle to run effectively, it must run every 15 minutes, and start earlier than noon and run later than 8 p.m. For students going into Boston in the evening, taking the Green Line into the city will leave them stranded at Riverside Station without a ride back to campus.

Brandeis has tried the Riverside shuttle before but it did not create widespread support. Rather than using a 40-seat bus, a smaller van that runs more frequently would allow the university to balance costs but provide a more effective service for students.