By Pauline Gutierrez, Nov. 26, 2024
Students who frequently rely on the Bronco Express Shuttle to get around Cal Poly Pomona’s campus may find the shuttles’ timing to be inconsistent, making wait times risky for students who are under time constraints.
The CPP administration admitted that the main problem lies in an outdated shuttle tracking system – Live Bronco Express Tracker, but, that any improvement or purchase of the new technology would lead to the parking permits’ increase.
The Bronco Express Shuttle is a complimentary transportation service available to students for getting around campus. The shuttle service is linked to a website intended to display the various scheduled stops along a map and estimated arrival times for the shuttle.
Maxinne Goce, a scienc e, technology, and society student, has experienced reliability issues with the shuttles and the Bronco Express Tracker. She relies on one of the shuttles to get from the University Village to her classes in Building 8 and the Cultural Centers where she works.
“There’s some instances where the shuttle CCW (Main Campus) came, but it wasn’t on the app,” said Goce. “And then for the most part, though, I try to make time,a big chunk,just so I can wait.”
Because of the shuttles’ inconsistency, Goce said she has to leave 40 minutes before class to ensure she has enough time to wait for the shuttle and enough to walk in case it doesn’t arrive.
“If I know that they don’t arrive within 30 minutes before my class starts, I just walk,” said Goce “I know it’s like 20, 25 minutes’ walk from the village to Building 8.”
Jessica Gaitan, a graduate student pursuing an English credential, took the shuttles as an undergraduate student between the 2020-2023 academic years.
According to Gaitan, she attempted to catch the shuttle from Parking Lot J, where she would park, to Building 1 or the Student Services Building, but would encounter issues because the Bronco Express Tracker did not displaytracking information, and she never knew when exactly the next shuttle was coming
“It’s supposed to track where the shuttles are, and it’s supposed to tell you how long until it gets to your stop,” Gaitan said. “And a lot of the times it would just say, ‘This shuttle isn’t running’ or, ‘No updates available.’”
According to Gaitan, she would sometimes wait too long for the shuttle and have to start walking about 10-15 minutes to class where she would arrive late.
“There were times where I was hoping the shuttle would get me there and only take two minutes,” Gaitan said. “Instead, I used up my 10 minutes. And then I either had to walk and was late to class, because I waited and then walked, or I would just wait out the shuttle and class time has already started by the time I get on the shuttle.”
According to Mike Yu, the executive director of Parking and Transportation Services, the shuttles are complimentary and funded by revenue generated by parking permit sales and citation fees. The availability of the shuttles is dependent on various factors, such as the day, time, location, students’ class schedules and traffic around campus.
“Depending on which day you’re trying to get on and what hour, it can vary on how long you wait,” said Yu. “Similar to how our roads are taxed with cars during peak traffic, shuttles are also taxed with peak passengers.”
According to Yu, the Bronco Express Tracker is composed of two components: a system purchased around 2009, which is still in use, and an application created as part of a student project. The online system was created to display wait times at selected stops.
According to Yu, the issues students may have been experiencing with the Bronco Express Tracker are due to the outdated technology, and he admits a new system is needed
“The system is at the end of its life and it’s ready to be refreshed,” Yu said. “We need a new system, right? But we’re balancing. In order to purchase a new system, it’s going to hit the parking or citation fund.”
According to Yu, if the university is unable to find a cost-effective method of tracking the shuttles, then parking permit rates may have to be increased to offset the cost of the system.
Feature image courtesy of Gavin Claiborne