Athletes Air Complaints About Quad Shuttles

Armed with complaints about spotty service, varsity athletes in the Quad met with the administration and Harvard Shuttle Services Monday night to discuss possible improvements in transportation to the athletic fields.

Suggestions included direct shuttle service and greater frequency of shuttles to the fields.

About 15 students showed up for the meeting in Currier House. Also present were Carl A. Tempesta, manager of facilities and passenger transport services, and Philip A. Bean, assistant to Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68.

According to Kyle K. Walsh '99, a member of the women's ice hockey team who attended the meeting, "People were basically complaining about the fact that there is just lousy transportation for Quad athletes that have to go down the river, [especially] athletes that have practice at the river in the morning."

Students also expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of direct shuttles to the fields, the shuttles' relative infrequency and the fact that they don't run during hours of peak demand for athletes.

"The service they have is hard to deal with because you have to take two shuttles to get down to the fields, [and] they don't seem to be running at the times that athletes need them the most--late afternoon and early morning," said Karen M. Rice '99, a softball player.

Currently, varsity athletes are given vouchers that they can use for taxis when the shuttles aren't running. However, students complained that this system wasn't working well.

"The cab companies have been really unreliable--either the cabs don't show up at all, or they don't accept the vouchers," Walsh said.

The problem has become worse, some students said, as more athletes end up in the Quad due to randomization.

However, students said they were pleased at theresults of Monday's meeting.

"Phil Bean made it sound like they would try topursue a better working relationship with the cabcompanies and try to have a system for complaintsby which the students with early morning practicescould complain if a cab was late or didn't showup," Walsh said.

"People were pretty optimistic about theshuttle service for next year as far as therebeing a direct shuttle and the hours that we needthem the most," Rice added.

Monday's meeting was called in response to aletter sent by the Quad House Masters to Lewis andAthletic Director William J. Cleary detailing theinadequate transportation available to varsityathletes in the Quad.

Lewis replied that he recognizes the concernsof athletes and that the administration is workingto accommodate them.

"We have been working all year ontransportation issues, and a particular recognizedconcern has been with athletes who have practiceschedules that make safety or full participationin House life a concern," Lewis said in an e-mailmessage.

"So the letter written by the Quad Masters cameas no surprise...I would say this issue is beingworked on," he said

However, students said they were pleased at theresults of Monday's meeting.

"Phil Bean made it sound like they would try topursue a better working relationship with the cabcompanies and try to have a system for complaintsby which the students with early morning practicescould complain if a cab was late or didn't showup," Walsh said.

"People were pretty optimistic about theshuttle service for next year as far as therebeing a direct shuttle and the hours that we needthem the most," Rice added.

Monday's meeting was called in response to aletter sent by the Quad House Masters to Lewis andAthletic Director William J. Cleary detailing theinadequate transportation available to varsityathletes in the Quad.

Lewis replied that he recognizes the concernsof athletes and that the administration is workingto accommodate them.

"We have been working all year ontransportation issues, and a particular recognizedconcern has been with athletes who have practiceschedules that make safety or full participationin House life a concern," Lewis said in an e-mailmessage.

"So the letter written by the Quad Masters cameas no surprise...I would say this issue is beingworked on," he said