As The Stute has already voiced the Stevens students’ opinion in response to the new Via shuttle buses, The Stute reached out to Stevens administration to gather more details regarding the new service.
According to Luke Hansen, Stevens’ Transportation and Sustainability Development Manager, “We knew the previous shuttle service was not meeting riders’ needs or expectations, which is why we turned to a tech-enabled model that uses intelligent booking and routing software to optimize trips, makes it easier for riders to book rides through an app, and provides extended operating hours.” Via’s TransitTech service helps to eliminate issues with transportation accessibility and traffic congestion, when it may be difficult for many to get to their desired locations in time.
Additionally, with the switch, a focus was placed on sustainability and a decrease in gas consumption. Hansen stated, “The new Stevens Shuttle eliminates gas-guzzling trips with no passengers by replacing unnecessary loops during non-peak times with a system that only deploys a vehicle when ride requests are made, and places riders headed in the same direction in the same vehicle.” This focus translates to seeing fewer appearances of these shuttles but focuses on the essential capability to request transportation rather than having to wait for a missed shuttle.
The change also provides a sense of more extensive accessibility. The new shuttle service provides wheelchair accessibility, which the previous shuttle service did not provide. In addition to this inclusivity, the shuttle service provides an opportunity for students to take “a safe ride home” service. From 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., seven days a week, this service allows students, upon request, to reach their homes or essential locations, such as the Hoboken University Hospital or Hoboken Terminal. These changes in accessibility help invite users to more frequently use the service and use it when necessary.
With the launch of this service, demand for Stevens Shuttle surpassed administration’s expectations. According to Hansen, “based on the old service we were expecting 400-500 rides per day, but, in reality, we are now seeing more than 600 completed rides per day. The number of ride inquiries is closer to 1,200 per day.” However, Via’s service was able to provide ride proposals for 90-95% of these inquiries.
This extremely high demand resulted in higher wait times for users to get picked up. In response, Hansen worked to increase shuttle numbers at times when there seemed to be more rider demand. As a result, Hansen explained, “we have reduced wait times by 50% within two weeks. Wait times now average less than 15 minutes, and riders’ reviews averaged 4.9 out of 5 stars.”
Stevens Shuttle is currently focused on looking at feedback from users to make more informed changes, if necessary. In a few weeks, riders will also be receiving an in-app survey asking about their experiences and possible improvements. For more information, the Stevens Shuttle app can be downloaded in the Apple App Store and Google Play.
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