The spring semester brought many changes to NYU, including modifcations to the NYU bus routes.
Route E and a new line Route F began operation on Jan. 27. According to Fred S. Barlow, assistant director of Public Safety and Transportation, the bus routes had to be altered because the city is permanently closing 25th Street between Third Avenue and Lexington Avenue to create Baruch College’s public plaza. In addition, Asser Levy Place is scheduled to close in the upcoming months.
“[NYU] has therefore changed the way that it provides scheduled university transportation route service to bus stop locations north of 14th street,” Barlow said.
Route E has been changed because of road closures and now provides service seven days a week. The route travels in a counterclockwise loop, first stopping on 14th Street at Third Avenue before continuing along
First Avenue, stopping at 17th Street, 23rd Street, 25th Street and the NYU Langone Medical Center. It then travels along Third Avenue, making stops at Gramercy Green residence hall, 17th Street and 14th Street.
Route F provides service Monday through Thursday and stops along Third Avenue at 14th Street, 17th Street, Gramercy Green and 30th Street. Route F buses return along Third Avenue, stopping at Gramercy Green, 17th Street and 14th Street.
According to Barlow, Route F operates Monday through Thursday because that is when a majority of classes are in session and most students are taking the buses. These changes aim to provide an alternative way of traveling around the road closures without having overfilled buses.
According to Olivia Baackes, president of the Inter-Residence Hall Council, there has been positive feedback from students about the bus routes.
“While I haven’t personally ridden the F route yet, I received really positive feedback about it thus far from students on IRHC who use the NYU buses daily to get from their residence hall to school,” Baackes said.
The transportation department collaborated with representatives of the Office of Housing and Residential Life, the Gramercy Green staff, the Gramercy Green Residence Hall Council, the College of Dentistry, the School of Medicine and the Office of Government and Community Affairs for input and feedback before any of the bus route service changes were finalized.
“We always appreciate the opportunity to provide input to changes in student services and are happy to hear that this has been a successful change thus far,” Baackes said.
Steinhardt sophomore Maria Jung also found the change beneficial.
“The bus route can be really helpful, especially when students live that far away from campus,” Jung said. “It saves time getting to and from class and makes travel easier for students in bad weather.”
A version of this article appeared in the Monday, Feb. 4 print edition. Neela Qadir is a deputy university editor. Email her at [email protected].
