SNAP replaced by GCSU shuttles

The SNAP program, a service that provided safe transportation for students and faculty, has been replaced by the GCSU shuttle system.
The program had used “golf carts” to safely shuttle people to their cars, campus buildings and residence halls at night.
 Since it started as part of the Parking and Transportation Department in May 2006, the SNAP program has been considered ineffective due to the GCSU shuttles’ late working hours. The SNAP program was previously run by the Public Safety Department .
Greg Brown, the manager of the Parking and Transportation Department, believes that canceling the SNAP program was the best choice.
“It was not needed anymore. Ever since the shuttles started running until 1 a.m., we found that there was no need to run the SNAP to any further extent,” Brown said. “GCSU is one of the last schools in the state of Georgia that have shuttles running until such late hours.”
GCSU shuttles work Sunday to Thursday starting at 7:15 a.m. Five buses run until 5 p.m. and two of them run after that, until 11 p.m. Only one bus drives students around campus after 11 p.m., finishing the shift at 1 a.m.
“In case students feel that they are insecure and need assistance after 1 a.m., they still can call Public Safety for any kind of support,” Brown said.
Also, according to Brown, another reason to end the SNAP program was that some drivers were not taking the service seriously, as they would drive the golf cart with friends just for fun.
Toby Bowen, a senior business management major, and driver for the GCSU shuttles, said that not a lot of students ride the buses after 10 p.m.
“I drive the GCSU Shuttle from Monday through Thursday night, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. The campus shuttle shuts down after 11 p.m., but the shuttle runs until 1 a.m. and can take students anywhere on campus or  Bobcat Village anytime,” Bowen said.
Bowen also said that he used to drive the Bobcat Shuttle at night last year, and the number of students was pretty much the same as they are this year; after 10 p.m., the Bobcat shuttle traffic slows down.
“Not a lot of students ride the shuttle at night,” Bowen said. “Every now and then I will get someone who wants to go to the library or Herty or downtown to the bookstore, but mainly the majority of the riders go from the dorms to MSU or to Irwin Street.”
Students are not too disappointed with the ending of the SNAP program, as they are content with the shuttle’s working hours.
“I called the SNAP last semester when I needed a ride from Herty Hall to Centennial Center. I used to like the SNAP services, but since the buses run until late now, I would rather ride the shuttle,” said Niclas Szieger, a junior management major.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 20 2006. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry