Penn State students who need a ride after a night out on Fraternity Row might soon be able to take a bus back to their dorms.
Gavin Keirans, University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) president, said he is working with the Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) to make the Blue and White loops run 24 hours on weekends and to add a greek loop that would run on weekend nights and possibly during the week.
"To say that students don't go off campus and drink would be naïve. What this provides is a safe route home for students who attend an off-campus party or a fraternity party," Keirans (junior-business management) said.
The proposed greek loop would run through the fraternity district and to Pollock and South halls, but would not serve West Halls.
"In Pollock and South, you have a great deal of sorority life, so it'll be a great benefit to them," Keirans said. "East Halls has freshmen who go to the fraternity scene."
Outgoing UPUA Internal Development Chairman Andrew Karasik said he met with Penn State Director of Transportation Teresa Davis, who gave him a cost estimate of the 24-hour expansion: $45,000 per academic school year to fund a 24-hour weekend Blue Loop and White Loop bus service. Karasik said he could not offer an estimate of how much the greek loop would cost.
Davis said she is willing to work with the students if they can provide funding for their proposals.
"Basically what we'd be doing is bridging the gaps where CATA does not currently provide services," Karasik (sophomore-political science) said.
UPUA, the Interfraternity Council (IFC), the Panhellenic Council (PHC) and possibly other organizations would fund the greek loop program, Keirans said.
"We are pursuing joint funding," said IFC President Luke Pierce (junior-economics). "UPUA shouldn't be footing the bill."
Because the proposed greek loop would run through residential areas, local residents might oppose it, Karasik said.
State College Borough Council President Elizabeth Goreham agreed with the proposal, adding extended bus service might help stop students from walking around after a night of partying.
"You won't have people screaming obscenities or ripping up shrubbery," she said. "It's an idea certainly worth exploring."
Instead of using CATA buses for the greek loop, which neighbors might find noisy and not environmentally friendly, Karasik said another option UPUA is exploring is to use shuttle buses. The buses can hold about 20 passengers, he said.
While the student leaders might face opposition from local residents, one battle they will not face is with CATA officials.
"We're willing to listen and work with them," CATA Service Development Manager Eric Bernier said.
Bernier said as long as the new services do not affect providing students with transportation to classes, students and CATA will be able to work together.
"It's a matter of having enough buses to get people back and forth from class versus having enough buses to get people back and forth from parties," he said. "Classes take the priority."
Keirans said planning for the programs will begin in the coming weeks, and test trials for the services could start as early as the fall semester.
