Bussin’ Around the Town

Mirror File Photo

Fairfield University is beautiful, spacious and interesting, but we could always use an escape and get off campus once in a while. For those of us who cannot drive ourselves, the StagBus should come in handy… but does it?

Every day you can spot that little white bus with a red deer on it in front of the BCC starting at noon and reappearing every half hour until 7 p.m. This bus takes students to the train station, the “center of Fairfield” at the Fairfield Public Library, Bob’s, Stop & Shop, CVS, and then back again. There’s one bus and it holds twenty people.

I never realized that size would be an issue until I took the bus the other day and people were kicked off because there weren’t enough seats. I looked up and noticed the bars on the ceiling that were made for standing and wondered what the point of the bars was when we couldn’t even use them. Then on the bus ride back, girls were kicked off again because there was one too many. Those girls were forced to either pay for a taxi or wait another hour at Marshall’s to get picked up. After that, I decided that we aren’t getting our money’s worth for transportation.

The StagBus is very limited. Many people need to take a train earlier than noon, but the StagBus won’t be at the circle waiting for them. Many people want to go to a restaurant at dinner time, but the StagBus won’t be there to pick them up.

What are also limited are the stops that the bus takes. There’s more clothing stores, food places, and other useful stores on Black Rock Turnpike, but the bus only takes students there five times on Saturdays. On weekdays when it does stop, it’s at somewhat secluded areas.

Since Sacred Heart University is also in town and frequents the same places as Fairfield students, I decided to compare the shuttle systems. I found out that SHU has five shuttle buses. One goes to the mall and the Stop & Shop plaza (complete with Subway, Dunkin’ Donuts, banks, walk-in clinic, Staples, Marshall’s, and restaurants). One bus goes to far-away academic buildings, one goes to the upperclassmen housing, one goes to Black Rock Turnpike, and one goes to the Bridgeport Transit Station. Each bus leaves every half hour from 7 a.m. until at least 10 p.m.! I am extremely jealous.

So here are some suggestions that I have for the StagBus: We need more buses, larger buses, or at least consider having people stand and hold on to that iron bar. It’s the Post Road, people—you’d be okay standing. The bus should expand its schedule to the morning through 9 p.m. and go to Black Rock on weekdays. And lastly, perhaps the StagBus could save those business students a hike to Dolan and kids with fevers a hike to the Health Center in the cold.

Fairfield University brags about its great location, so how about giving our students access to using it? Let us breathe the air outside of these gates more often.