The Office of the President officially announced new and updated transportation options for students on Aug. 18 in an email.
The email detailed the updated South Side Shuttle and Weekend Shuttle programs and informed students about the new bus option titled ‘UPass.’ The new ‘UPass’ system will provide students with a discounted rate for Pittsburgh Regional Transit (formerly known as Port Authority).
“UPass provides all students the ability to ride anywhere Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) travels at a discounted fare of $1.74 per ride (compared to the $2.75 regular price),” the email said.
Students and faculty who want to use the UPass system need to download the ‘Ready2Ride’ app and then can sign up using their Duquesne email. After signing up, students and faculty will need to complete the enrollment and payment agreement form.
Freshman Nick Licata is happy Duquesne is offering UPass.
“I think it’s good that they left the UPass system as an opt-in system,” he said. “Some people have a car on campus, some people prefer to walk everywhere. It’s a nice option.”
After that, students and faculty will be able to use their UPass at any time throughout the semester and on any PRT bus. Anyone using the UPass system will be billed at the end of the month based on their usage.
“I’m from Buffalo, so Pittsburgh is totally new to me,” Licata said. “It really helps us freshmen, especially when so few of us have cars on campus.”
The email also introduced the updated Weekend Shuttle (also known as the Student Government Association Loop Bus system). The Weekend Shuttle will be free to all students and will have three stops that students can travel to on weekends.
“The Duquesne Weekend Shuttle Service is a free shuttle service operated exclusively for Duquesne students that will run to and from campus to stops in the South Side, Oakland and the Waterfront on three separate shuttles running in continuous loops,” the email said.
The weekend shuttle will run to the three stops starting Aug. 26 and will continue throughout the academic year. Every weekend, starting Friday at 6 p.m. the shuttle will run to the three stops until Sunday at 2 a.m.
The shuttle will be unavailable during Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring and Easter breaks, according to the email.
To ride the shuttle, all students need to do is show their valid Duquesne ID when boarding.
“I’m really excited for the return of the loop bus,” said senior Emmala Lee. “I used it all the time my freshman year. It being back makes things a lot easier.”
Each bus will depart from the Student Union and will have multiple stops along each route. Stops for the Oakland Shuttle are Forbes Avenue & Bouquet Sreet, and Forbes Avenue & Morewood Street.
The South Side Shuttle stops are East Carson & 15th Street, East Carson & 22nd Street, and Sidney Street & South 27th Street.
The Waterfront Shuttle stops are Friendship Circle, Murray Avenue & Forward, Front of the AMC Waterfront 22 theater and the Target at the Waterfront.
The last updated system that was revealed was that the South Side Shuttle will now be free to students throughout the semester.
“The shuttle is free to Duquesne students only, with the only requirement that students show an active Duquesne student ID to board,” the email said. “Operating Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., the schedule follows the academic calendar, meaning there is no service on holidays, university breaks, or during the summer.”
There will be multiple stops in South Side where students can board the shuttle, with one stop on campus.
The South Side Shuttle campus pick-up and drop-off spot is in front of the Starbucks at the Student Union. Route stops are 22nd Street & East Carson Street, 20th Street & Wharton Street, 15th Street & Muriel Street, and 10th Street & Muriel Street.
Students are others are just happy that Duquesne is offering more options to them.
“All these options are another comfort to me,” Licata said. “I felt so grateful when they told us about all the things available to us.”