Annual Logan Shuttles Begin Today

The Undergraduate Council will be running shuttles from Johnston gate and the Quad to Logan Airport every hour today and tomorrow from 4 a.m. until 7 p.m.

"We usually have in the neighborhood of 800 people taking advantage of this service," said council treasurer Sterling P.A. Darling '01.

Many people take the shuttles to avoid the long T ride that includes two line changes and a shuttle bus upon reaching the airport.

The buses' low cost makes them accessible to a large number of students, Darling said. He said taxis and commercial shuttles usually cost from $12 to $35for the trip to Logan, while the council shuttle is only $3.

"It's one of the services that we've always done," Darling said. "It provides a great opportunity to do something useful for the students."

And this service comes at a cost to the council, which is funded by a $20 undergraduate term bill fee. According to Darling, the council allocated $3,000 to the shuttle program, but hopes to recover most of that cost in ticket sales.

The majority of students contacted by The Crimson yesterday said they plan to take the council shuttle if they fly. Several also said they are relying on friends with cars to transport them to the airport.

The shuttles will leave from Johnston gate every hour on the hour and from the Quad 10 minutes later according to Nehal S. Patel '02, vice-chair of the council's Campus Life Committee. The ride to Logan will then take 30 minutes to an hour depending on traffic.

Patel said the council does not run shuttles from Logan to campus in January because students tend to return to Boston over a larger time period than when they leave.

This year, the council hired Brush Hill Transportation to provide the buses, Darling said.