Beginning Aug. 16, the University’s shuttle system will institute a ridership policy in which all persons will be asked to show a current, valid WUSTL ID or a specially assigned pass provided by the Office of Transportation Services in order to access the system.
This will not affect shuttle use by members of the University community, but may affect non-University riders. Prior to that date, all riders will be notified of the new requirements as they board the shuttles.
The primary reason for requiring IDs and passes is the need to assure transportation providers and insurers that the persons using shuttles are authorized by the institution to do so.
In addition, the University is responding to complaints that some non-University riders on the shuttle system have behaved inappropriately, including panhandling, asking inappropriate and unwelcome questions of other passengers, and making inappropriate comments, as well as following passengers off the shuttles to continue the unwelcome exchange.
Further, in some cases, the shuttles have been used by non-University riders to avoid using the Metro buses — when WUSTL is not authorized to offer competing services to non-University riders.
When the shuttle system was originally developed, attention was focused on University riders, as well as providing a service to the community. That policy continues, and community riders are encouraged to apply for shuttle passes through the Office of Transportation Services (935-5601; parktrans@wustl.edu).
Some have asked how difficult it will be to obtain a pass if they are not a member of the University community. The answer is that persons applying for passes who are willing to provide a valid address, telephone number and photo ID will be granted passes as long as they agree to abide by the University’s guidelines expected of all passengers and as long as the requested route does not directly parallel Metro bus lines.
“The University has been pleased to provide services to the members of our community and, within limits, to our neighbors who may occasionally find the shuttle system a convenient way to get to destinations not served by Metro,” said Lisa Underwood, manager of parking and transportation services. “However, occasional overcrowding and instances of inappropriate behavior by non-University persons make it necessary for us to ask non-University riders to follow the same protocol to be used by University students, faculty, staff, and contract employees — carrying and displaying a valid University ID to gain access to University services.
“We believe this approach will better serve our primary riders by reducing the chance of overcrowding on certain routes, and by allowing us to provide more efficient transportation free of any unwanted or uninvited interruptions.”
The University expects these changes to improve the quality of service and to provide assurances that shuttles will remain reliable, comfortable and effective ways of transit for the thousands of passengers who use the services each day.