Undergraduate Council Plans Winter Break Shuttle Service

As Undergraduate Council presidential hopefuls prepared their visions of where the council should be headed, representatives agreed last night on one destination: the airport.

The council allocated $4,625 to fund shuttle buses which will take students from Johnston Gate and the Quad to the airport every hour between 4 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17 and Friday, Dec. 18.

Shuttles will also run every other hour from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday Dec. 16.

Shuttle tickets will cost $2 and will be sold by council members beginning next week.

The shuttle plan was approved after an hour-long debate in which members considered six possible shuttle schedules.

The initial proposal put forth by Campus Life Committee Co-Chairs Ryan E. Dorris '00 and T. Christopher King '01 did not include Friday buses, but King said it was likely the council would be able to secure the Friday shuttles though arrangements have not yet been made.

As they planned for future shuttles, council members lauded the success of their Thanksgiving shuttle service.

"This year blew away anything we've done in previous years in terms of shuttles," said Vice President Samuel C. Cohen '00.

The council sold more than 400 tickets as compared to 250 last year.

While last year, students complained that some council shuttles failed to show up, departed late and failed to collect tickets properly, council members said there had been no complaints about this year's service.

Cohen gave Dorris and Council Secretary Sterling P.A. Darling '01 much of the credit for the success, because they met each shuttle at Johnston Gate to collect tickets and sell leftover tickets to last minute buyers.

Still, the council only made about $800 from the services, while renting the buses cost the council $1,850.

But King said the shuttles' success should be measured by the fact that students use them, not whether they turn a profit.

To increase students' awareness of the shuttles, the council allocated $300 for an advertisement in The Crimson.

In the past, twice as many people have taken advantage of winter break shuttles as Thanksgiving shuttles.