The Saturday night shuttles on the UW-Eau Claire campus will not be gone for long anymore.
Local bus company Right Way Shuttle announced plans to run a shuttle bus on campus on Saturday nights, just one month after the Student Senate voted to cancel a pilot program providing a similar service to students.
Right Way Shuttle owner Tom Klatt said the plan was formed independent from the university.
“When I learned that the funding was cut, I decided to just step up to the plate on my own,” he said.
Student Senate voted 17-9 to get rid of the Saturday Night Shuttle program effective as of the Spring 2012 semester. At the time of the decision, Student Body President Phil Rynish cited cost as the main reason for ending the program.
Klatt believes students benefit from having affordable and safe options for getting around the city on weekends.
“I’m basically providing this because I feel the students need it and should have the opportunities just like anybody else,” Klatt said.
Junior Leah Bauer, a resident of Governors Hall, says the program is great for students who do not have cars on campus and that the shuttle rides should be busy once again.
“I think that you will probably still see a fair number of students utilizing it as long as it is well-advertised,” Bauer said.
Rides on the Right Way shuttles from Towers Hall will cost students $1 round trip on Saturday nights. Stops will be made in front of Towers hourly beginning at 6:15 p.m. and ending at 9:15 p.m., with the last drop-off being made at 10:15 p.m.
Students can ride to Oakwood Mall and Action City, among several other locations. Riders will be given some form of proof of purchase when they first board, with tickets, tokens and stamps all options being considered by Right Way.
Although regular pick-ups at Towers will end at 9:15 p.m., students can call Right Way after that time and schedule a pick-up. Three shuttles will run in and around the Water Street area until 2:30 a.m. Sunday.
However, Klatt does not believe that some campus groups are on board with his service. He specifically cited the Center for Alcohol Studies and Education as not being receptive to how he runs his business.
“They feel that our image is just providing students with just the option to go out and drink, and here at Right Way, we are so much more than that,”
Klatt said.
Jennifer Lee, Director of CASE, does not believe CASE has given Klatt any reason to feel that way.
“I recognize that the Right Way Shuttle has a place in our university. We hand out basically 10,000 free advertisements for him,” Lee said, referring to Right Way’s phone number being placed on all CASE business cards.
Lee said CASE has no current plans to be involved with the shuttle or its operation, and Klatt’s business model is his own and CASE would not need to be involved in such a program.
